Revisiting the Action at the Deadline

The date of July 31st for baseball fans is either one that holds many pleasant memories of hope and optimism for you or horror stories you save to tell around a campfire. Either way it’s an exciting time, one that often can cause grown men to consider taking off work to see the up to the minute trades and rumors. But personally I feel like it’s similar to going to a place like Disney World, you know it’s going to be entertaining but unless you really go for the gusto of experiencing all that you can, it can feel like a letdown. The 2006 deadline is pretty similar to that, we saw a lot of what we expected, but we didn’t get the ‘wow factor.’ Maybe some moves were a bit surprising as to why a team would want that player or even need him, but all the majors trades were expected in terms of a player moving (somewhere). Where was the Orioles oft-rumored blockbuster with Tejada or the team that came out of nowhere to snag Soriano in a career year? We just didn't see the surprises I had hoped.

Were there too many teams in the hunt at the deadline that they didn’t want to risk a significant prospect to blossom elsewhere for a veteran that may or may not help their playoff chances? Or vice versa. It could be, or perhaps given the limited market for pitchers and other quantities, general mangers were holding out for an unreasonable amount. I think given this subpar effort we’ll see more waiver wire deals, but only time will tell. The only thing that is a given was that there were a lot of deals this year, too bad they weren't all that exciting. But Fishercat, Kingdom, and I will talk about those deals anyways. Because we can. -missionhockey21, up to the last small bit




Yankees acquired outfielder Bobby Abreu and pitcher Cory Lidle from the Philadelphia Phillies for shortstop C.J. Henry, pitchers Matt Smith and Carlos Monasterios and catcher Jesus Sanchez.

Missionhockey21: Perhaps in one of the few surprise deals, the Yankees acquired outfielder Bobby Abreu and starting pitcher Cory Lidle for practically nothing from the Phillies. Making good use of Mr. S’s pool of cash (yes, he does have a diving board, ala Uncle Scrooge), the Phillies dumped about 22.5 million dollars (assuming the Yankees buyout Abreu’s 2008 option.) Many are quick to point out Abreu’s decreased homerun power since the 2005 Homerun Derby (14 since then), but power or not, he’s an impact player still. Is he worth his 15 million dollary salary? Of course not, but he still provides a valuable service, his .425 on-base percentage (good for 4th best in the AL) and his MLB leading 4.50 pitches seen per plate appearance. He’s an effective threat on the bases (20 for 24) and provides a defensive upgrade over the likes of Bernie Williams and others. If Sheffield does return this season for the Yankees, it will likely be shortlived now that his replacement is lined up and he’s a soon to be free agent.

Cory Lidle is what he is, a marginal pitcher in the NL who is likely to see his ERA over 5.00 in the AL. +1.35 WHIP and +4.50 ERA has been the story of Lidle the past four seasons. He’ll provide a decent amount of innings and is an upgrade over Sidney Ponson or Aaron Small and whatever else the Yankees have been running at the backend of the rotation. This helps to shore up the Yankees for the playoffs on both ends and at a little cost (talent wise people, calm down.)

As for the Phillies side, they admittedly got quite a bit less than one might expect, but then again they aided the Yankees in their cause to have a payroll similar to a NASA program. About the only brightside to this deal (other than the payroll decreasing) is prospect CJ Henry, who is overrated given his lack of production, and raw from my standpoint. But he’s a promising athlete and could have a plus bat down the road. That is very unsure at this point however, but it is some ray of hope. Matt Smith will be a cheap, somewhat effective lefty arm for the pen for the next few seasons. The other two prospects I really do not know much about other than the Yankees signed them outside of the Amateur Draft. This is very much a deal that reverts back to money quite quickly as that is what the soul of this trade really is.

End result: Have Cash, Need Perennial All-Star.- Winner Yankees

Kingdom: In some cultures, acquiring Jesus would be enough to offset the loss of Bobby Abreu. But let's face it, Jesus doesn't have a career .425 OBP. Which may not mean much to a casual fan, one in which hopes Abreu hits 40 homeruns and becomes the next great yankee. Well, maybe not. Abreu doesn't have to hit another homerun this year in order for this trade to still really suck for the fightin-less Phills. Maybe it's just that Bobby Abreu is that much under appreciated. Take 2004 for example, he hit 30 homeruns and stole 40 bases. His OPS was .971 and he walked 127 times. Who wouldn't want that on their team? Sounds like he is worth his lucrative contract to me. He's also proven to be durable, having played at least 150 games each of his full seasons throughout his career. But what Abreu doesn't do is pitch. Sure Lidle got off to a solid start, but is he the answer to a world series title? No. As proven in the past, New York can come armed with the best offense in baseball and still lose.
Now on the flip side of things, Henry has barely played much minor league ball for any of us to actually judge the kid. But it is likely he won't see playing time for a long.. long time. It'll be tough to live up to expectations after being dealt for a 5 tool veteran.

End result: The City of Philadelphia suffers yet again, but New York's pitching still sucks.

Fishercat: The Bobby Abreu trade demonstrated one fact about baseball: money talks. And the trade demonstrated that fact in so many ways.

The most obvious way was that Abreu has an extremely large salary and few teams could afford to take it on. Basically, Bobby turned into a salary dump. The Yankees were a group of a select few teams who could handle and were willing to handle an eight-digit acquisition. The salary also lowered Abreu’s value as a trade piece, allowing the Yankees to get him at a great price, to Cashman’s credit. He traded four players, the only notable one being prospect C.J. Henry. Certainly a small price for a man who hits and runs the way Abreu does.

Still, the monetary factor gets larger when two of the prospects were international acquisitions. The Yankees acquired both Sanchez and Monasterios on the international free agent market, a market in which both scouting and signing cash play key roles in the process. Those two players were the only other prospects included in the deal, and such a find can be attributed to the vast resource of funds Steinbrenner is willing to spend on his team.

End result: the Phillies took a discounted price in player talent to get financial flexibility, and the Yankees surely got the better end in terms of talent, a talent that was too expensive in terms of money and trade flexibility for most teams to take.

New York Mets acquired pitchers Roberto Hernandez and Oliver Perez from the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Xavier Nady.

Missionhockey21: Ah, there we go. Now while not a shocker, it was a quite curious deal. Due to the injury of Duaner Sanchez (taxi cab drivers really aren’t helping to restore a brighter image for themselves), the Mets had to rush to find an arm to fill the void left in their bullpen come the 8th inning. Roberto Hernandez I was surprised to hear was still playing. At 41 years young, though he still possesses surprisingly still strong velocity, Hernandez is still working. He is walking a few too many (24 in 43.0 IP), but he hasn’t become too hittable and is still posting a strong strikeout rate (considering his age and all.) He had similar success in New York last season (albeit a bit more dominating) and perhaps a move to a team in the hunt to make the playoffs will get whatever is left in that tank out.

Oliver Perez is surely a nice add-in, and a worthwhile one considering the price the Mets paid. Perez will soon be 25 and he’s posted one of the most dominating seasons in recent memory with his 2004 campaign, the problem is that he’s been utter trash since then. His control has gone to hell and whenever I’ve seen him pitch, he seems to be lost on the mound. Perhaps the right teacher will fix him, I am not for sure. But as far as gambles go, he’s both a high risk and a high reward. And he’s Latino, which is always a plus with Mets general manager Omar Minaya. The leaving of Nady also opens up the chance for Lastings Milledge to get a shot once again to prove himself this season.

If I was a Pirates fan, I would be thinking “Why?” at this moment. Why would Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield give up on Oliver Perez this soon, especially for a player like Xavier Nady. Nady is a fine player, but a lefty killer for the most part with adequate defense. He’s versatile and has shown the most power of his career with a .483 slugging percentage. But at his best, he’s not worth Oliver Perez at half speed. It just seemed foolish and short-sighted in my eyes. Is it just me or does anyone else think for the long-term that the Pirates would have been better off with Oliver Perez and Craig Wilson? I would hope so. Perez may never pan out again, but unless the Pirates know something that we do not (other than the horrendous stats), they could regret this one badly when they see Nady posting a .775 OPS to .825 OPS while Perez finds his old touch.

End result: The Trade Where The Mets Get Older, Potentially Younger and More Latino. – Winner Mets

Kingdom: Let's work on potential for a moment. Oliver has shown once he can be a dominate force and New York has had lackluster pitching past the old, feeble guys so maybe, maybe one day Oliver becomes the lefty Pedro. And the moment is up. I would try to be light on Oliver, he's a lefty and I like the guy, but, shit I can throw harder than him right now. Where has all that talent gone, Ollie? In light of events, it is sad that the mets lost a player to a car accident. I hate the New York teams, but seeing an important cog to any team get injured like that is, just, kind, of, sad. There, I said it. But face it, Duaner Sanchez was pulling a Tom Gordon. Neither of those pitchers right now are a Tom Gordon. Hernandez is capable of holding his own here and there, for half a season. He did have a good year for the mets last season and when he was dealt this season, he had a mid 3's era. While he may be 41(I say may cause he could really be 48), he's proven his career is still functioning. On the other side of the equation, many will say dealing Nady was a mistake. The only mistake about it was his versatility (plays infield and outfield). Past that, they can replace his offense. Endy Chavez, for example, is hitting a .293 with a decent OBP. They also have Victor Diaz and Lastings Milledge in the wings. Now, for me, I'm wondering if Nady should have just been in the Giles deal originally and Nady moving a couple of times would have been avoided. It's so much easier that way! I give some props to Pitt for getting a young-ish bat to replace Craig Wilson and Sean Casey. Much like NY, the pirates will benefit from his versatility.

End result: New York is gambling on Perez. I have no doubt the talent is still there, he just needs the right tutoring. Who the hell was going to do that in Pittsburgh, the ghost of Mike Fetters? Until old Ollie returns, pirates actually win out on a trade.

Fishercat: The Nady trade was a very interesting move for the Mets, and is a deal that makes sense for both teams.

With the Duaner Sanchez accident, the Mets were left with a hole in their bullpen. While the likes of Darren Oliver and Pedro Feliciano have been pleasant surprises for the Mets, gaining another bullpen arm at the deadline gives a solid bridge from Pedro and Wagner in a Game 1 or Game 5. Roberto Hernandez was that arm. They also gained a wild card in Oliver Perez: a supremely talented SP who has simply been unable to put his skills together into a major league pitcher. The original centerpiece of the Giles-Bay deal has struggled with the Pirates, and the Mets hope to mold him. For a piece that was not needed by the Mets with Floyd, Milledge, and Beltran, they got two solid pieces back for Nady.

Likewise, the trade makes sense for the Pirates. Essentially, they traded an RP that should be long retired by the time they are competitive and an SP who their coaches were unable to help for a nice, young, OF/1B to use for the next ten years (if they keep him).

End result: No complaints from either side, as it is the rare deadline deal that is fair and makes sense for both teams.

St. Louis Cardinals acquired second baseman Ronnie Belliard from the Cleveland Indians for infielder Hector Luna.

Missionhockey21: Not a trade of huge implications, but a fairly even one for both sides. The Cardinals receive a defensive upgrade to both Aaron Miles and Hector Luna with Belliard. Ronnie Belliard may not have the best bat, but it's not so horrible to bat towards the bottom in many lineups (even though it appears the Cardinals will bat him 2nd.) He will be a free agent after this season though. Luna on the other hand is 5 years younger, locked up through 2010 and was actually out-hitting Belliard (overall similar numbers though.) He plays several positions, just not very good at this point(2B, 3B, SS, LF, RF, even some 1B.) It didn’t make sense for the Indians to keep on a player they had no intentions of re-signing and the Cardinals upgrade their defense while keeping their run production similar to with Luna. Since Luna's upside is probably around Belliard's, I like it for both teams as it actually makes sense for both sides.

End result: A Trade Where No Side Gets Fleeced. – Everybody Wins!!!

Kingdom: 2005 was a pretty strong year for Belliard. He did have 17 homeruns and drove in almost 80 runs, which is strong power production for a 2B. Luna on the other hand, not very much power from this guy, at least he's never shown it, but he has a better OBP and OPS than Belliard. Ok, honestly, Belliard does nothing for me. Sure, he's capable of some power and steady defense, but, he doesn't walk much and he really doesn't have good power to make up for the fact he's pretty average as a hitter. Plus there's the whole "I think I'm Manny" with his dress code and cockiness. When you become a feared hitter, then you have the right to be cocky like that. But, this is all because St. Louis could not keep Mark Grudzielanek (hey, how's taking more money working out for ya Grudz?). Granted, Grudz was never much on the offensive side of things. He never had to be in the cardinals' lineup, not with who hit behind him. He was still a steady contact hitter. More importantly, he teamed up with David Eckstein to form a tenacious double play combo. In fact, many will say Grudzie was a gold glover in 2005. It's just that Luis Castillo had stronger cred and stuff. And stuff it is.

End result: St. Louis would be just as good with Luna/Miles at 2B, because their problem is not at 2B. This was pointless, no winners.

Fishercat: It was a standard trade on the Luna/Belliard swap for both sides. The team in contention trades for a more experienced and trained second baseman to put on the other side of Eckstein. The team not in contention gets five years younger with a similarly producing player.

End result: Carry on.

Los Angeles Dodgers acquired pitcher Greg Maddux and cash from the Chicago Cubs for infielder Cesar Izturis.

Missionhockey21: Another interesting trade, but made a whole lot less sexy and interesting due to Maddux’s age of 40. Maddux has been what we’ve come to expect old Maddux to be, a hittable, non-dominating, but somewhat effective pitcher. He should benefit from the move to Dodger Stadium and see an increase in run support with the new look Dodgers. He should also be happier closer out to his home on the West Coast and the fact that he is now in a playoff race. Cesar Izturis is an overrated and overpaid player. That doesn’t mean the Cubs could of gotten (nor expected) much more for Maddux, or that Izturis is without his charms. A career .635 OPS hitter, he won’t be expected to do much with the bat, but his defense would be a welcomed addition to almost any club. And at 26, I suppose there’s a chance he could slightly improve on the offensive front with the move to a more hitter friendly ballpark like Wrigley. It was a move to dump Maddux for what they could prior to him being a free agent. And for the Dodgers, I think it makes sense as they get a fairly capable starter to help their rotation and one where a new situation could bring upon improved results. And as much as I like a kid like Chad Billingsley and his future, if the Dodgers make the playoffs, I would feel much better as a fan with Maddux pitching given Billingsley shaky control.

End result: Don’t Go Hollywood On Us Maddux- Fair Trade

Kingdom: By going to the Grand Canyon of a park in LA, the homerun count might drop for Maddux. God knows the hokey winds at Wrigley did the former great no favours. But honestly, you can't expect Maddux to go back to being great. The leadership is there and maybe a good outing here and there, but expecting a Cy Young whirlwind is ludicrious. His best attribute might be pouring cold water on Brad Penny when Penny is suffering from another PMS bout. I blame Alyssa Milano. The cubs, well, cubs' fans should learn to be grateful for Ronny Cedeno's bat because Izturis has never really had one. You get an outstanding defensive player and that is about it. He gets caught stealing half as much the time he successfully steals a base, so that's not going to help his cause. Amazingly, he once had 193 hits in a season, in 670 ABs. Is it possible to have empty hits, like Alex Rodriguez has empty RBI's?

End result: Maddux might help the dodgers in the long run, and Izturis at least keeps Neifi Perez on the bench more. It's kind of a win win for both teams, but not really.

Fishercat: I like the Maddux deal for the Cubbies. Typically, when a pitcher is traded with ERAs ranging from 5.21 to 6.25 in his most recent three months, the team trading him does not get a lot back. However, this was not just any mediocre SP, this was Greg Maddux, one of the greatest starters ever. He has fallen upon difficult times as a starter, but the Cubs were still able to get a decent return for a player of Maddux’s caliber. He’s struggling a bit this year, and even if he wasn’t, he still is not going to hit. But Izturis has a slick glove and he’s not totally useless at the plate, hell, he made the all-star game once (somehow). Still, you don’t typically see 26-year old SS that don’t completely suck get traded for an over-the-hill pitcher, albeit still capable.

End result: At the very least, the Cubs should have a backup for the next couple years, and with the way they’re going in the standings, even a sub par 26 year old is better than Maddux.

Los Angeles Dodgers aacquired infielder Julio Lugo from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for infielders Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza.

Missionhockey21: Ok, I lied, this is a bit more an impact trade in terms of being a surprise. Perhaps the Dodgers (and the Dodger faithful) would of liked to see Alfonso Soriano wearing Dodger Blue, but Julio Lugo isn’t half bad either and likely would be easier to re-sign. The question is did they overpay in a time of desperation? Los Angeles is obviously making a late push, but I don’t know if this trade makes sense for them. So they now have (when healthy) in the infield: Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, Jeff Kent, Julio Lugo, and Wilson Betemit? It seems quite likely that unless the Dodgers clear up their jam and are willing to overpay for a long contract with Lugo, that they traded a top prospect in Joel Guzman for 50 or so games of Julio Lugo. The market had dried up for Lugo over the past few days prior the to the deadline, so I don’t understand how the Dodgers couldn’t of gotten him for a bit less. Lugo is a fine player (likely to have 15 homers or so, 20+ SB’s, position versatility and a strong BA/OBP), but then again the Dodgers seemed to have soured on Joel Guzman. It is for a playoff push I guess.

The Devil Rays love players with problems, and they get one here. Of course those players are also usually super talented, and that’s no exception here either. Upton gets called back up. And even though he is still raw and can struggle to make contract at times, Guzman has +30 homerun potential, so getting that in return for the possibility of only two months of Lugo was a great trade for the Devil Rays as they were not going to to retain him after this season.

End result: If Guzman acts up, will he get called up? – Devil Rays win

Kingdom: Our resident dodger fan, Realmofotalk, once posted that Guzman should have been enough to land an Alfonso Soriano-type bat. Whether that may or may not be the case, consider for a moment what Lugo brings to the table. He's had more consistent power this season, but his past has shown fluctuating homerun results. But, his best power years have been as a DRay. Obviously they never let players steal much in Houston because in Tampa, Lugo has shown he can be a factor on the base paths. 2005-2006, his strikeouts have gone down, which is good because he's twice struck out over 100 times in a season. Keeping it in the 70's range, more encouraging to a dodger fan. I don't expect him to keep up his power surge, he's only 3 off from tying a career high at this point (12 now, 15 in 2003). He's been overshadowed in a league that's had Nomar, ARod, Jeter, Tejada, and Vizquel for years. Unfortunately he's a free agent and he also plays the positions of already established (but injured) dodger players (Furcal, Kent). LA also acquired Wilson Betemit. It's not my thing to say where you play him and if you should sign him, but it's my thing to say you acquired a solid infielder.

End result: I'm not sure why LA ended up giving a top notch prospect for a possible rent a half season player that might end up being a utility guy, so Tampa, this beats dealing for JP Howell.

Fishercat: The Julio Lugo trade was a very interesting one that I like for both sides, assuming the Dodgers can afford Lugo’s extension.

Julio Lugo, although hampered somewhat by injury this year, has been a superior player for the Devil Rays. There are very few shortstops in the league (at least not named Derek Jeter and Miguel Tejada) that are able to hit like Lugo had: .300+ batting average, almost a .500 slugging percentage, and he’s stealing bases as well. He’s also getting on base at a 37% clip. Basically, most of the other SS in the league with stats like that are unobtainable, expensive, or would cost the farm in terms of talent. Lugo was the best SS available who wouldn’t cost a team a Roy Oswalt.

In return, the Devil Rays got two very promising players. The lesser known of the two is Sergio Pedroza, who has absolutely raked in A-ball this year. In 317 at-bats in Columbus, he put up an impressive .281-.437-.562 line with 21 homeruns. He struggled a bit moving up to Hi-A, posting a .154 average in Vero Beach in limited time. Still, he kept up his walk rate and hit for power with the poor average.

The more notable player is former uber-prospect Joel Guzman, who is still a very good one. The 21-year old was not terribly impressive during his major league stint, but that was only for 19 at-bats. However, in 2004, he found his hitting stroke in A+ ball and has risen ever since, posting OPSes over the past three years in the 800’s over all three minor league levels.

End result: The trade works on both sides, as the Rays trade a guy they would only get two 1st rounders (a first and a sandwich) for on the FA market for two nice looking prospects. In return, the Dodgers get Jeff Kent’s eventual replacement at 2B and a pair to Furcal

New York Yankees acquired first baseman-outfielder Craig Wilson from the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Shawn Chacon.

Missionhockey21: The Pirates made some really confusing moves. Perez was a CY Young candidate, and could be one day again but he is a risk. Craig Wilson on the otherhand is a proven commodity for the most part. Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman saw the two biggest steals of this years deadline, it truly is a case of the rich getting richer. Wilson will not see much playing time in New York given the fact that they will have to find playing time for Bobby Abreu which will switch around Bernie Williams, Jason Giambi and Andy Phillips in terms of where and when they’ll be playing. He’s still a solid addition for the Yankees, and one who is still in his prime. The Pirates simply did not appreciate Wilson (Casey and Burnitz anyone?), given the likelihood of a full season of AB’s he would be a 30+HR hitter with a .370+OBP. Even if his stats are down this season with inconsistent AB’s, he still kills lefties (.926 OPS vs.) and will help the Yankees off the bench more than Chacon will help the Pirates. But that’s not hard to figure out. The Pirates replace one of their terrible starters in Kip Wells with another terrible one, I don't really understand that thinking from Littlefield. So far Chacon has posted a miserable K/9 of 5.06, a very hittable BAA of .309, a WHIPtastic 1.76 and he’s a flyball pitcher (G/F of .68.) His ERA is at a very pleasant 7.03 as well. Besides being 28 and having very limited stints of success, why would the Pirates want to do this? Littlefield should be fired for that move alone. Craig Wilson may not be an all-star, but this move is without logic for the Pirates angle.

End result: The rich get richer. – Yankees Win

Kingdom: They got money. They're big. They're bad. And New York just loves a cluster****. That's saying that with Godzilla and Sheffield still out on the DL. When that happens, Craiggers will go back to being a spot starter with pop off the bench. Fortunately for the yanks, Craiggers is a guy who actually can play the outfield AND 1B. So, at least no more freak throwing of Damon or Sheffy at 1B. Or Posada. Has Bernie Williams ever played 1B? Anyone know? I bet the world would stop moving if they shifted ARod to 1B. Anyways, this deal does make some sense and at the same time it doesn't. Having Wilson around will not get the Evil Empire more victories than if they stood pat with Milk-Cab, Kevin Reese, Bubba Crosby and Andy Phillips. I mean, no matter which direction you go with, you have guys used to coming off the bench and spot starting but at least in Crosby, you have someone with playoff experience. Wilson, has none. Oh, yeah, the pirates ended up getting something. Chacon. Wow, what an up and down by season type of pitcher. Did you know, as a yankee last season, he had a sub 3 ERA? And went 7-3? Amazing. This season, no so amazing. Well actually, amazing he went from 2.85 to freaking 7.00 in the ERA. But no matter. Chacon, he has a special place in my heart. I love statistics, so, when I see a guy with a 7.11 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP and still have 35 saves. And that's blowing 9! Nine!!! I end on that note.

End result: There is no impact, damnit. Mckain running into a parked car would have more impact than this trade. I'm the winner of this deal cause the "closer" anomaly is that much "closer" to me.

Fishercat: Hey, there’s the basic pro player swap. The Yankees traded Shawn Chacon to the Pirates for Craig Wilson.

Per usual, Craig Wilson is an underrated, solid piece for any contending team who needs a backup OF/1B, and even a quality starter for most teams. Wilson’s posted a quality .270-.340-.475 line, good for any player. A pretty standard year for Craig Wilson, who is making 3.3 million, so he came at a bargain to New York. He should have, at least, five good years ahead of him: with the Yankees, I do not know. However, Craig Wilson’s one of those players that won’t be the centerpiece of a team, but a quality role player.

To get such a nice piece, they traded this year’s mega-bust, Shawn Chacon. Last year, Chacon posted a very nice line to help the Yankees to a division title. He put up a 2.85 ERA with seven wins after being traded to the Yankees in midseason. However, he pulled a full 180 this year. He currently has a 6.82 ERA that was a flat seven with the Yankees. His WHIP is also at an astronomical 1.79. Simply put, he’s been a hideous player for the Yankees this year, and unless the Pirates see something they can change, I don’t get the deal.

End result: Essentially, the Pirates traded a perennial starting caliber OF/1B for a pitcher of the same age and salary, but on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of performance. Unless the Bucs can turn Chacon into the 2005 version, they lose this deal.

Atlanta Braves acquired pitcher Danys Baez and infielder Willy Aybar from the Los Angeles Dodgers for third baseman Wilson Betemit.

Missionhockey21: What a great move for the Dodgers. They take a huge upgrade, not only for this season, but future seasons with a young talented player like Wilson Betemit over Willy Aybar. Do the Braves actually believe a few months of Baez in relief is worth losing a possible talent like Betemit (one who is already showing results now)? Willy Aybar is a fine player, a bit of a downgrade defensively and without the power potential of Betemit, but he can hold his own with the bat and post a solid OBP (currently with a .366 OBP.) Aybar is infield insurance though, so his value is limited. Danys Baez is an upgrade for the Atlanta pen, but he hasn’t been spectacular nor disastrous, he’s merely having a solid season and is likely to continue that as the Braves setup man. I suppose the hope is that he returns to his 2003-2005 type of numbers (which in some cases were a bit lucky.) I still do not think that justifies trading a player of Betemit’s caliber who is showing results with his .867 OPS.

End result: The Dodgers Get Better, Both Now and Later. – Dodgers Win

Kingdom: I really liked Betemit. It was kinda comforting to know if Chipper had to miss time, Betemit was there to prevent Pete Orr from being the regular 3B. Fortunately Aybar will do the same. I'm relieved, for that at least. Do I like this deal, as a braves fan? No, not yet, I'll have to warm up to Aybar. Betemit goes to another cluster**** situation in LA, I hope he continues to get real playing time, but who knows with all those other salty veterans around. Good thing they're injury prone. Like many of these other trades, the trades in which you wonder out loud (why trade so much for a reliever?) and then answer yourself (there's never enough good bullpen help!). So much like the reds getting blown by Jim Bowden, LA gets to kinda do the same here. I would tend to think the focus of the deal was to acquire Baez, a proven solid reliever, to help out Wickman and Ray in the pen. Hey, Atlanta has tried to get Baez before. Oh, but no, Baez was the throw in. Aybar was the centerpiece. I know little about Aybar. From small tidbits posted in the braves forum, he's apparently a leadoff type guy. Which I like, because Marcus Giles needs to be hitting 8th for a while. To be honest, I wish Giles was dealt for Baez and Aybar. Wishful thinking, I know. For Baez, he had 71 saves in 2004-2005. He's not really an overpowering type, but if he can at least give Atlanta a 3 some era type performance, because Bob Wickman is no saviour, he's welcomed. But, like many midseason acquired relievers, Atlanta will let them walk because some team will have the great idea of paying a former Braves pitcher tons and tons of money. How has Kyle Farnsworth, Steve Karsay, Chris Hammond, Mike Remlinger once, and Antonio Alfonseca worked out for you guys? EH??!!? Ok, not all of those were midseason acquisitions, but they promptly left for huge contracts. And proceeded to give those teams dire misery. Muwhahahahaha!

End result: It'll work out for both teams, but moreso for LA now. Atlanta, well, if they keep Baez and Aybar pans out, they win. Two > one.

Fishercat: The Dodgers-Braves trade basically puts up two similar unknowns and one known. The question is: is the difference between Willy Aybar and Wilson Betemit worth a Danys Baez.

Danys Baez is what he is: an above-average, young, relief pitcher. He’s 28 years old, but this is his sixth year of experience in the majors (his 5th as a relief pitcher). His ERA is a little high this year, but overall, he has been quite good, posting an ERA in the three range usually (sometimes lower, sometimes higher, but usually right around there). He has made his niche in the “reliable reliever” role, and shows no signs of stopping.

So, knowing that price, is the difference between Wilson Betemit and Willy Aybar enough to make a difference? Basically, the Dodgers were willing to give up a reliable RP to increase the probability of getting a successful infielder. From what I can see, Betemit is an older version and more advanced version of Willy Aybar, with a slightly different history (admittedly). He has a longer record of success and has had a more steady rise to the majors. Aybar exploded from a high 700’s (OPS) player to a 900’s player, and who knows which way he will go.

End result: I like the deal for both sides, but if the Braves keep Baez as a solid piece of the pen, I think it is a worthy risk for them.

Milwaukee Brewers acquired outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix and pitchers Francisco Cordero and Julian Cordero from the Texas Rangers for outfielders Carlos Lee and Nelson Cruz.

Missionhockey21: One of the few blockbuster deals and one that was a bit unexpected as well was the Carlos Lee trade (at least the team he went to was a surprise to me). It’s an interesting trade as I would of thought the Brewers would had sought a top flight prospect for the services of Carlos Lee. But they want to win now and took less talent to stay competitive. We all know about Lee, a premier talent who is soon to be a FA. He’s likely to see his value rise in Arlington with increased production. A usual 30 homerun hitter is already at 28 for the season. Although his doubles pace is down some, his strikeout rate is down as well making for a 40 BB to 40 SO season, a bit surprising considering his homerun pace is actually up in comparison to years past where his strikeouts were up then. The Rangers now have an even scarier lineup and have Lee’s possibly replacement in line with Nelson Cruz (who has much more potential than any of the players included to Milwaukee, but still has some time to go.)

As for the Brewers, it seems like they traded a superstar just to get a few above average players that are ready. Cordero is a nice reliever with a bit of a down season, but one due to make 5 million next season so he could be a rental. He does provide the Brewers with a legitimate option to replace the struggling Turnbow in the closer's role. Mench has been one to benefit of Arlington with over the last three years posting an .870 OPS there and a .791 OPS on the road. He’s a young player who plays the game the way old players like. And while an adequate replacement for Lee, he won’t be counted on to match his value anyday. Laynce Nix seems to have not of progressed at all over the past few seasons. The most obvious impact of this trade in my eyes for the Brew Crew is the fact that they could of freed up a spot for Corey Hart to get regular playing time that is instead being filled by Kevin Mench. It by no means is something I consider to be a TERRIBLE trade, but one in which the Brewers missed an opportunity to get their team better for the future, but only made their team a little less worse in the post Lee era.
End result: Teixeria, Young, and Lee… oh my. – Rangers Win

Kingdom: Two Corderos make a wrong. Something that boggles my mind is the number of incredibly bad ERAs and WHIPs that were dealt this season. But Francisco Cordero has had a good track record, even pitching in Hell or rather Arlington as we know it. But he's had a rocky season, which goes right along with Dan kolb's rocky season and Derrick Turnbow's sudden talent death. Trading for a closer-type surely does nothing for a young man's confidence, but in turn the change of scenary may light up Frankie. Milwaukee also receives a couple of potential fan favorites in the way they try to play and act. But one has to wonder when Nix will come out of his sub .300 OBP closet. Better yet, 228 strikeouts to 47 walks, is even more gut wrenching to watch. That sounds like Adam Dunn whiffing, but Nix doesn't walk 100 times nor hit 40 homeruns. But 14 in 371 at bats is a decent sign Nix could hit 30 or more one day. The jury is still on out Laynce. Mench on the other hand is usually consistent. Consistently average. If you think about it, if he didn't have a couple of ridiculous hot streaks each year, his numbers would likely be below average. For example, a homerun in seven straight games earlier this season. Take that away and say he only hit a normal one or two over a week and he's left with 8 for the year. His RBI count, likely in the 40's. And his average would sink to the .270's or .260's. In other words, for a couple weeks each year, he can carry a team. For the rest of the season, he's just another white guy in the outfield. For Texas, they get a free agent to be in Carlos Lee. They really should go all out and resign the guy, just imagine Lee hammering away every year in Arlington. He's on pace to top last season's 32 homeruns but he's well under the 41 double mark he had. Expect more of those doubles to be jacks in Texas. Lee's career in some ways reads like Mench's. However, Lee hit 2003 and has been regarded as a big slugger ever since. In that case, maybe Mench is about to turn the corner too?
End result: Texas is a big winner, offensively, and even more so if they keep Mister Lee in Arlington.

Fishercat: I have never been a huge fan of Carlos Lee. I did think the Brewers made a brilliant deal when they traded for Lee, by only giving up Scott Podsednik (a man whose value is far too tied on the base paths) and Luis Vizcaino. However, Lee plans to leave as a FA where someone will, inevitably, horribly overpay him. He’s certainly a quality player, but somewhat overrated.

The Brewers knew they would be unable to keep him, and if they really took the dive and signed him to the big deal he wants, that would tie up too much of their payroll. So they had to deal him. Sadly, other teams knew this and wouldn’t give the Brewers Lee’s real value, lest he leave them as well.

The trade they got for Lee is not really full value, but they got several major league pieces that could be effective. The replacement OF for Lee was Kevin Mench. He seems to be a garden-variety power hitter in the corner OF. The man with the big head kills left handed pitching while being a mediocre, if not worse, hitter against righties. He also had an amazing April, and a horrible June. Mench typically averages out to a good, if not amazing OF (much like a less consistent Craig Wilson).

The real prize of the deal for the Brew-Crew may be Francisco Cordero. He was the Rangers closer for a few years, until he hit some major struggles at the beginning of the year, posting an astoundingly bad 11.45 ERA in the month of April before losing his job to Cordero. Since then, he’s had three very good months, with ERAs of 2.51, 2.08, and 3.55 in May, June, and July. With Turnbow’s issues, Cordero could be the Brewers closer for years to come, and he has a few years before he hits the slide, hopefully.

Nix has been a disappointment. He’s simply been a bust of an outfielder with the Rangers while only posting mediocre minor league numbers. The Brewers may hope to turn him around, since he’s only in his mid-20’s, but this is a minor piece. Cordero (the other one) seems to be a throw-in, but he has some really intriguing splits (namely, a huge K-rate against lefties) in single-A, and he looks to have some potential.

End result: Basically, the Brewers got all they could for Lee, and unless Lee stays with the Rangers, the Brewers win this deal. However, if the Rangers extend him at a reasonable price, the price to pay was worth it.
PfreakingS: As for the Matt Stairs deal, he effing owns, and the Rangers win the world for getting him. He’s made of awesome. That is all.