The question everybody is asking -- Who exactly were the big winners following the conclusion of the Trade Deadline yesterday? Well, here are your answers...from my perspective, anyway!
THE WINNERS:
1) Boston Red Sox -- I don't care whether you love them or hate them, the Red Sox were the only team that made a draft day trade that was intended to have a payoff in the playoffs, and not merely a payoff in getting them to the playoffs. The BoSox acquisition of Eric Gagne was brilliant, with GM Theo Epstein taking a hard stance against trading mega-prospects Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz. Instead, Texas had to settle for a trio of average prospects in Kason Gabbard, David Murphy and 17-year old OF Engel Beltre.
I have a hard time believing that Texas didn't have a better deal out there than that. Hell, the Mariners were offering stud power-prospect Wlademir Balentien in exchange for Octavio Dotel! I have to imagine that at least that deal must have been on the table for Gagne. But Theo worked his magic and in turn, put the BoSox in the pole position to win another World Series. Major kudos to the Red Sox front office management for this deal! Between Okajima, Gagne and Papelbon, Red Sox opponents just had their opportunity to win a game limited to 6 innings, at the most.
2) New York Yankees -- It might seem odd that I have them here in second place, but this isn't so much because of what they traded for, but what they did not trade away. As the 4:00 p.m. deadline came and went, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, Alan Horne, Tyler Clippard, Humberto Sanchez, Russ Ohlendorf, Darrel Rasner, Jeff Karstens and Delin Betances (phew!) were all still future Pinstripers.
While I do see this as a bit of an overload, there was no player on the market that would make a legitimate enough of a difference in order to part with any of those players. Instead, the Yankees still have the minor league's best pitching staff. That is pretty amazing to say for a team who had an all but non-existent farm system just two years ago.
Couple that with the departure of an overrated Scott Proctor for powerful switch-hitting utility man Wilson Betemit and the Yankees did a fantastic job, even if it doesn't result in a 13th consecutive season in the playoffs. The Yankees would prove to be even smarter if they allow Betemit to have everyday at bats, as he has immense talent that the Dodgers chose to never let flourish. With that short porch in right, Betemit can quickly become a 35+ homerun-a-year threat if he reaches his prospective ceiling.
3) Atlanta Braves -- You know, I really have a hard time putting them on the Winners list. And it isn't because they didn't get quality players...they did. But they left their farm system ravaged in the process of doing it. Parting with Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz, Kyle Davies, and Matt Harrison is just too much in my book. Essentially, the Braves were the antithesis of the Red Sox -- they made deals that would "lead" them to the playoffs, but did not look any further than that. Sure, Teixeira and Dotel will prove to be critical pieces in their winning down the road, but if they don't sign Teixeira to an extension and he moves on elsewhere, how are they going to recoup this loss of talent? At this point, aside from Brandon Jones, the Braves' minor league cupboard is pretty damn bare!
Regardless, the move was one that will alter the race in the NL East, as desperate of a move as it was. The Braves now have an offense and bullpen that can outslug and shutdown the opposition. The big question now is whether the back end of their rotation can hang on in games long enough to get to that point. There are leads that are insurmountable, you know.
In the end, the Red Sox found that final piece to punch their ticket to the Promise Land in October...The Braves made moves that will get them into the first round, but unless the offense goes on an absolutely massive tear come playoff time, this squad doesn't have enough pitching to progress through the postseason...and finally, the Yankees were able to concentrate on the future, in both acquiring potential stud Wilson Betemit and not allowing anyone else to acquire their slew of talented young pitching.
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2 comments:
I imagine you will find out by years end that the Braves trades will be better than you think...Salty was the big loss in the trade for Tex...Elvis had Edgar and Yunel in front of him. Trading Davies to KC was great...he is inconsistent and lacked anything to indicate he could be a starter in the bigs. The Braves as always will regroup the farm...but if they wanted to get back in the playoffs and contend for it all...these trades had to be made...fans here in Atl have become used to making the post season and to not do that 2 years in a row would lose the team money in season ticket sales.
I do agree with you that these trades "had" to be made, at least from a fan's perspective.
Like the Yankees, the Braves fans have grown quite accustomed to at least having a shot at winning it all (actually capitalizing on that "shot" is another story). Last year's loss of the division to the Mets began what many fans will fear is a slipper slope into becoming a non-factor of a team. I get that.
My issue was that the Braves left themselves with no pitching depth. Their top pitching prospect is currently with the Pelicans, Tommy Hanson. They do have Jo-Jo Reyes, but I think he is overrated. And Moises Hernandez, but he has gotten lit up since his departure from the friendly pitching confines of Coastal Federal Field (as many pitchers so often do).
These deals by the Braves were a complete Catch-22. While they "needed" to make these deals for this season, they simply need to realize (fans and management, alike) that they sacrificed a great portion of the future in order to do so.
My take on it is that they MUST win it all this season, or at least make the World Series, in order to make any of these deals worthwhile.
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