- 03:02 PM ET 08.10
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Ten days have passed since the trading deadline. With the small perspective that allows us, here???s another look at the winners and losers of the trades.
July 7th
The Brewers jump the trade deadline gun and trade OF Matt LaPorta, RHP Rob Bryson, and LHP Zach Jackson for C. C. Sabathia. For the Brewers this is a message to the fan base and the organization that they mean business and want to win now. And so far, C.C. has delivered the goods: seven starts, six wins, four complete games and a 1.58 ERA. But for the Indians, this could be a coup in the long run. LaPorta is a stud and just the bat the Indians need in the middle of their lineup. The 20-year old Bryson projects as a good closer down the road. Jackson has struggled in the minors.
Advantage: Unless the Brewers go deep in the playoffs, Cleveland wins this one.
July 8th
The Cubs strike back by getting a shiny new stud of their own the very next day. RHP Rich Harden (who???s seemingly been on the trading block out of Oakland since the womb) and RHP Chad Gaudin head to Chicago in return for RHP Sean Gallagher, OF Matt Murton, 2B/OF Eric Patterson, and C Josh Donaldson.
Now if Harden stays healthy (and he???s done a decent job of it so far, getting five starts and producing a 2.10 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 30 innings), this is a steal for the Cubs. Harden is a flat-out ace. And Gaudin isn???t so bad himself, posting some nice numbers (1.84 ERA in 14.7 innings) out of the pen. As for Oakland, it seems shocking that they acquired nothing of serious value in return for Harden. Gallagher has done okay so far in Oakland, but he doesn???t exactly project to be the second coming of Bob Gibson. Murton has been a disappointment since being a supplemental first round pick in 2004. Patterson has been solid in the minors, but needs to produce in the majors. Donaldson is a low minor league prospect who has a ways to go both behind the plate and up at it.
Advantage: Big time advantage goes to the Cubs.
July 25th
The Yankees get the guy the needed to get ??? both of them. For a song. The Bombers get tough on lefties LHP Damaso Marte and OF Xavier Nady for RHPs Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf and Dan McCutchen as well as OF Jose Tabata.
The Yanks absolutely kill on this deal, getting the right-handed bat they need to balance their lineup ??? a healthy corner outfielder having the best season of his career ??? and a lefty out of the pen whose lefty BAA this season is .200. And all they gave up is three middling prospect pitchers and a once-hot prospect in Tabata who???s suffered through a horrible 2008 coupled with some disciplinary problems. Only McCutchen was viewed by the Yankees as anything as a plus-potential pitcher, and that was as a good middle reliever.
Advantage: Major advantage to the Yankees
July 29th
Last year???s biggest trade deadline acquisition gets traded again. Atlanta, realizing any chance at making the postseason was over when Tim Hudson went down ??? and also thinking of getting some payroll security ??? trade 1B Mark Teixeira to the Angels of somewhere in southern California for Casey Kotchman and prospect RHP Stephen Marek. While the trade of first basemen is definitely in the Angels favor, as Teixeira bests Kotchman in almost all offensive categories (both are excellent glovemen), the trade is truly made by Atlanta for fiscal reasons. Kotchman is locked up for a few more years at a low salary. Teixeira, on the other hand, is a free agent at the end of the season and will command beau coup bucks. So if the Angels don???t resign him, they will have rented him for two or three months and get a couple of compensatory picks in return. Marek is a mid-level prospect.
Advantage: Angels. They may have just won the AL.
July 30
The Yankees pull off another shrewd deal, getting C Ivan Rodriguez from the Tigers for RH Kyle Farnsworth. The Yankees fill a big need as Jorge Posada was done for the season, and while Jose Molina is a defensive diamond behind the plate, his .226 BA is 70 point behind Pudge???s .295 BA, not to mention Pudge has a slugging percentage over 100 points better. And hey, Pudge is no slouch at this catching thing either. To get the 14-time All-Star, the Yankees gave up Farnsworth, who had been pitching better of late after two bust years in pinstripes. That said, Farnsworth???s is 28-47 lifetime with a 4.42 ERA. And after getting Marte, the Yankees don???t need him as much.
Advantage: Yankees again.
July 31st
Chicago GM Kenny Williams finally fulfills his dream of having OF Ken Griffey Jr. in the White Sox outfield. But isn???t it maybe a decade too late? Also, where does he play? The White Sox have Jermaine Dye in right field and Carlos Quentin in left. And even if they play Griffey in center ??? a risky proposition at best ??? recent trade acquisition Nick Swisher is there. Also, Jim Thome is locked in at DH and Paul Konerko is at first. And it???s any one???s guess how well Griffey plays at any one of these positions at a very old 38. In return the Reds got two average performers. RH Nick Masset is an unpolished reliever with good stuff, but gives up a walk every couple of innings. Triple-A 2B Danny Richar is average across the board. All in all, it???s a salary dump for the Reds.
Advantage: Nobody, really. But slight edge to the White Sox, as they get some flexibility.
July 31st
This one was completed by a desperate Red Sox organization at something like 3:59:59 PM at the trade deadline. The BoSox rid themselves of one of the best hitters of his generation ??? and a complete head case in OF Manny Ramirez ??? as well as 7 million dollars to the Dodgers. In return, the Red Sox got OF Jason Bay from the Pirates. Pittsburgh received 3B Andy LaRoche and RH Bryan Morris from the Dodgers and OF Brandon Moss and RH Craig Hansen from the Red Sox.
Obviously, the Dodgers made out huge in this one. Combined, the Dodgers had a .377 slugging percentage ??? fourth lowest in the majors. Manny brings credibility and a serious threat to their lineup. Immediately. Even in this, a ???down year,??? Manny has a slugging percentage 150 points higher than the Dodger average. His 20 HRS is eight higher than the next Dodger.
Jason Bay is no slouch though. His slugging percentage is right there with Manny, and he actually has a couple of more home runs. More importantly for the Red Sox (at least for the time being), he is a solid citizen. Bay is also six years younger, a better defender and is signed affordably through next season.
LaRoche has a good eye and according to most scouts figures to be a solid player if he can stay healthy. Hansen, a big draft signing by the Red Sox, has powerful stuff and has been fantastic in the minors, compiling a 2.61 ERA and averaging almost a strikeout an inning. But he hasn???t been able to put it together in the majors, where he has a 1.673 WHIP in 75.3 innings. He???ll certainly get his chance in Pittsburgh to win the closer role. Morris is a former first-round pick and a big time prospect with three plus pitches. Moss figures to make a play for the Pirate???s right field job soon, and if he doesn???t succeed, he should be a solid fourth outfielder.
Advantage: Everybody actually. How nice.
All in all, this is just speculation, as Manny may pull an Andruw Jones out in L.A. or Marte could turn into Steve Trout in Yankee Stadium. But that???s the fun of the game. You never know. Enjoy the rest of the season.
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Michelle Damon

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