Trade Deadline Winners And Losers

Every deadline has winners and losers, we just don’t really know probably until the end of the season which teams fit into which category. Obviously, if a move like the Tigers getting Doug Fister last year, helps vault a team to the playoffs, it can be considered a win. However, we all remember the Aubrey Huff and Jarrod Washburn acquisitions as well, who performed so poorly, the Tigers would’ve been better off with what they had.

As far as the Tigers go, I haven’t really weighed in a ton of the acquisition of Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez. I think it was a necessary move, and after seeing all of the deals this season, it appears the Tigers paid a pretty steep price. That isn’t to suggest that I’m in love with Jacob Turner or Rob Brantly, and dislike Anibal Sanchez, but it is an acknowledgment that Hunter Pence went to San Francisco for a relatively cheap price. Certainly one that returned less talent to Philly than what they gave up the previous season to get Pence in the first place.

Anyway, a quick look at who I thought won and lost in this year’s trade deadline.

Winners:

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels really weren’t as active as I thought they might be. However, they got probably the jewel of the trade season in my estimation when they got Zack Greinke. They gave up a fair amount to do so, trading Jean Segura away among others, but it’s worth it to bolster an already strong rotation, and make it the best rotation in the American League. They also managed to keep Peter Bourjos, which could become very important considering Tori Hunter may be gone after the season. While everyone is praising the heck out of the Dodgers for their moves, the single move of getting Greinke for the Angels strikes me as brilliant, and one that will likely help propel the Angels to a playoff spot.

Houston Astros

Everyone is talking about the Astros getting quantity over quality, and while there is some truth to that, they got some quality as well. And what we really have to consider is who they were trading in the first place. Carlos Lee, Wandy Rodriguez, Chris Johnson, J.A. Happ, and Brett Myers aren’t likely to drum up the cream of the crop when it comes to prospects. They aren’t going anywhere and depth is important to a farm system. Teams needs players that they can plug in off the bench and it will allow GM Jeff Lunhow some flexibility in the future. Joseph Musgrove, Carlos Perez, Colton Cain, Robbie Grossman, are all pretty talented. Rudy Owens should be in their rotation in 2013, and Asher Wojciechowski has been much better as of late. Lunhow seems to know what he is doing, which is a good thing for Astros fans.

San Francisco Giants

I don’t have much to say other than in my opinion, they stole Hunter Pence.

Losers:

Philadelphia Phillies

I agree that the Phillies had to sell, but I have a few issues with how they did it. First, they should’ve been shopping their guys a little bit longer. The Phillies were clearly one of those teams that were just out of it this season. It was almost as if a last minute decision led the Phillies to trade Pence for a reserve outfielder, minor league reliever, and a promising catcher, who may or may not end up a starter in the bigs. I did like that the Phillies moved Victorino, and they deal they got for him, but felt they should’ve went further if they were going to dump Pence. Pence was under control, pretty reasonably priced, and a fan favorite. Basically a guy they didn’t have to move, and maybe a guy they build around. Just seemed strange to me. How Joe Blanton is still there I don’t know. Maybe even Jimmy Rollins. This looks like a franchise heading in the wrong direction.

Texas Rangers

Texas has two teams nipping at their heels in the Angles and the A’s, and they are hurting in the starting pitching department. True, they did get Ryan Dempster, but I have a feeling that was more of a consolation prize than anything. I don’t think he was the guy the Rangers wanted. I think the Rangers wanted Josh Johnson, Matt Garza or Zach Greinke, and the fact that they didn’t pony up the prospects with what might be easily the best farm system in the game, means they were a deadline loser to me. Colby Lewis, Neftali Feliz are injured. Derek Holland and Roy Oswalt haven’t been very good at all. The Rangers needed to find a stud, and I’m not sure Dempster is going to play that well pitching in the American League in one of the friendliest parks to hitters around. Jon Daniels is one of, if not the best, GM in the game. But this deadline was a flop as much as last years deadline was a win for them.

Minnesota Twins

To Minnesota fans that stop by this site on occasion, it must seem like I am on a hatred crusade when it comes to the Twins. First, the return they got for Francisco Liriano was pretty terrible, and it was a team within the division. Even if it was the best offer they had for Liriano out there, they would’ve been better served just keeping him and moving him at a later time if possible, or just trying to extend him on the cheap. But the truth is Twins fans, your team is in pretty terrible shape. The pitching staff is really bad, and they really needed to get some upper level pitching prospects to help the situation. Why they didn’t move Denard Span, Josh Willingham, and even Justin Morneau if at all possible, I will never know. Glen Perkins could’ve gone to. Maybe even Matt Capps. This team isn’t ready to contend, and they could’ve gotten quite a bit I imagine for Willingham. They basically did nothing, and if I was a Twins fan, I would be pissed.