The Official Major League Baseball Trade Deadline Wrap-up
1. OF Bobby Abreu and RHP Cory Lidle to the Yankees from the Phillies for SS C.J. Henry, LHP Matt Smith, C Jesus Sanchez and RHP Carlos Monasterios:
The blockbuster! How thrilling. Yankees GM Brian Cashman swore to God that this deal would not have been made without Lidle, perhaps the most idiotic statement to leave the lips of any general manager all weekend. Yanks get their man though, and without giving up any real name prospects.
2. RHP Greg Maddux from the Cubs to the Dodgers for SS Cesar Izturis:
This one was pretty interesting, kind of a good trade for both teams. Let’s see if Maddux can make one more post season run with the team he grew up rooting for. Izturis is a young, gold glove player. Let’s see if the curse of the Cubs taints him too.
3. OF Carlos Lee and OF Nelson Cruz from the Brewers to the Rangers for RHP Francisco Cordero, OF Kevin Mench, OF Laynce Nix and LHP Julian Cordero:?The largest deal in terms of players. Carlos Lee is a good player but I didn’t think the Rangers needed more offense. Cordero will try to right himself in the National League as he possible replacement for Derrick Turnbow who can’t get anybody out since being named to the all-star team.
4. 1B/OF Craig Wilson from the Pirates to the Yankees for RHP Shawn Chacon:
This one was just strange. Why did the Pirates want Shawn Chacon? For the Yankees it’s another great deal. Wilson is an upgrade over Andy Phillips for sure.
5. RHP Roberto Hernandez and LHP Oliver Perez from the Pirates to the Mets for 3B/OF Xavier Nady:
This was a very unfortunate one. After losing Duaner Sanchez to a season ending car accident, the Mets were forced to deal Nady for bullpen help thus negating any big trade they might have been a part of.
6. 2B Ronnie Belliard from the Indians to the Cardinals for IF Hector Luna:
How old is Belliard and what happened to the Indians this year? Ronnie was having a good year but his arrival hasn’t stopped the Cardinals’ slide.
7. 1B Sean Casey from the Pirates to the Tigers for RHP Brian Rogers:
Chris Shelton was a feel good story early this year for the surprise Tigers but their need to balance the lineup with a left handed bat earned this first baseman a ticket to the minors. ?
8. IF Julio Lugo from the Devil Rays to the Dodgers for IF Joel Guzman and OF Sergio Pedroza:
Don’t know whom the Dodgers gave up, but Lugo is an underrated find. Why were the Dodgers the only NL West team making deals in that bunched up division?
9. 3B Wilson Betemit from the Braves to the Dodgers for RHP Danys Baez and IF Willy Aybar:
Another good deal for the Dodgers. Betemit is a talented MLB prospect still under his rookie contract, bad trade for the Braves. Baez was so good last year as the Devil Rays closer but can not get on track in the National League.
10. 1B/2B Todd Walker from the Cubs to the Padres for RHP Jose Ceda:
A minor move from the NL West leading Padres. Walker is a solid baseball player, very versatile.
11. DH Matt Stairs from the Royals to the Rangers for RHP Joselo Diaz:
Again, the Rangers with the offense. How many DH’s can one team have?
12. RHP Kip Wells from the Pirates to the Rangers for RHP Jesse Chavez:
Oh, shit, the Rangers finally get a pitcher and it’s Kip Wells! Will it be the A’s or the Angels representing the AL West this year?
13. RHP Kyle Lohse from the Twins to the Reds for RHP Zach Ward:
Lohse is one of two so-so pitchers acquired by the Reds, one of many teams who pussy-ed out on making a big time deal.
14. LHP Jeremy Affeldt and RHP Denny Bautista from the Royals to the Rockies for 1B Ryan Shealy and RHP Scott Dohmann:
Supposedly the Royals got quite the prospect in Shealy, but the Rockies improved their already, over-achieving pitching staff with two more quality arms.
15. LHP Rheal Cormier from the Phillies to the Reds for RHP Justin Germano:?That other so-so pitcher.
16. RHP Elmer Dessens from the Royals to the Dodgers for LHP Odalis Perez, RHP Blake Johnson and RHP Julio Pimentel:
I don’t know much about any of these players, but at this point it seems like the Royals are just dishing guys?at random.
17. IF Tony Graffanino from the Royals to the Brewers for LHP Jorge De La Rosa:
Tony Graffanino was one of the worst off-season signings by the inept Royal franchise. They failed to deal the worst of them all though, Reggie Sanders.
18. 1B Ben Broussard from the Indians to the Mariners for OF Shin-Soo Choo and a PTBNL:?Shin-Soo Choo is young and talented. I don’t think the Mariners will do anything with Broussard, advantage: Indians.
19. 3B David Bell from the Phillies to the Brewers for RHP Wilfredo Laureano:?Brewers were fairly active. I’m not sure why though; I don’t give them much of a chance.
20. RHP Jorge Sosa from the Braves to the Cardinals for RHP Rich Scalamandre:?Sosa was really good last season as a starter but after a getting demoted to the pen and blowing about 50 saves, the Braves got fed up.
21. LHP Mike Stanton from the Nationals to the Giants for RHP Shairon Martis:?Makes no sense. Stanton is 100 years old and the Giants are already an aging squad. Only a couple of games out in a close division with a bunch of veterans, this was the Sand Francisco’s big move?
22. RHP Bryan Corey from the Rangers to the Red Sox for RHP Luis Mendoza:
Who?
23. C Sal Fasano from the Phillies to the Yankees for IF Hector Made:
The Yankees “upgrade” at backup catcher. This is the move that will bring them #27.
24. C Miguel Ojeda from the Rockies to the Rangers for cash:
Does a player feel better or worse when they’re dealt for money and not flesh? Somebody shoot me now.
