Trade Deadline Winners and Loseres So Far

A look at who won and lost so far and if things can change

WINNER
TIGERS- Disregard Fister’s two middle starts for the Tigers and he’s been really good.  He will show up even more and be a reliable number three on the Tigers staff.  Pauley looks good and should do around as well as he did with the M’s and be one of the top relievers in the division.  Betemit fits right in with he team and will continue too, awesome at the bottom of the line-up, more average and RBIs with some homers sprinkled in.  Delmon Young was a waiver trade that should do some good too.
MARINERS- Casper Wells could very well reach 20-20 if he gets full playing time and is a good option to hit second in that line-up too and him and Carp might cool off a bit there but there both really good and Wells might even be a smidge better.  Carp wasn’t acquired at the deadline but him and Casper have both been awesome for the M’s.  Furbush could be a good option at the end of the rotation or a really good long reliever or middle reliever and should keep it up.  Ruffin and Martinez will show their talents soon, Ruffin sooner and could he could be a setup man real quick.  Robinson is the best player they got and Chiang shows up under any circumstance and could be very good for them soon too.
PHILLIES- Hunter Pence will do even better and thrive in Philly.  He and Victorino are young and explosive and think in 2012 with Brown being added.  He may have made the Phillies pull away from the pack and will continue to do great things and play great defense and great all-around and he could heat up even more
RANGERS- They got Mike Adams, who has had a few struggles since joining the AL but he will give up a few more runs out of San Diego and even with his struggles he’s still a top setup man and pair him with Uehara, who could do even better with his new and team and you have a team that I can’t see NOT making the ALCS at least along with their whole other team.
BRAVES- Bourn is a true leadoff man and that will help them a ton.  He will propel them a ton and this team was already good almost all-around too.  The best part is they didn’t give up anybody who will be more valuable, pretty much ever!  Bourn’s running game will add to the offense too and those stolen bases were needed.  This makes the Braves maybe the most well-rounded team in the MLB.  Aces- Jurrjens, Hudson, Hanson.  Speed: Heyward, Bourn  Defense: Heyward, Bourn, Gonzalez  Relievers: Kimbrel, Venters, O’Flaherty  Power: McCann, Uggla, Freeman  Hitting: Jones, McCann, Bourn.  Bourn adds a ton
INDIANS: The Fukudome deal was dumb because he won;t do anything for them and will stay around the Mendoza Line.  If Jimenez turns out it was worth it.  He can get beat up from time to time but now he’s in a better park and if he gets his delivery fixed up a bit they have a guy who will keep them going and they might not fall out
BLUE JAYS: Rasmus for what they got was a steal and they got some supporting cast members.  Now that the Jays have a five tool, middle of the order center fielder they might be able to sneak in the AL East race real soon.  Rasmus should do even better and continue to develop in Toronto and reach his prime real soon
METS: Beltran wasn’t coming back, so they got a future ace which is good for them because the only current members of the rotation (Or DL) I can see in a Mets uniform in a couple of years is Niese and Santana, so Wheeler could be the co-ace if he reaches his potential.
ATHLETICS: Ziegler may be good but Allen should be a starter who does well and Norberto could do almost as well as Ziegler down the road, possibly.
LOSERS
DODGERS: They gave up a good and explosive center fielder that could be a big player starting next year for two future relievers, one of which seems to be a hit or miss (Rodriguez and a platoon catcher.  The deal was dumb for the Dodgers and it could hurt them a little more than they think.  The Furcal deal was good for them though.
RED SOX: Aviles si a good utility man for them who can fill in for an injured guy and do well and could get even better with the Sox in Fenway but Bedard probably won’t do much and the rotation of their’s might get beat up in the playoffs.  Beckett and Lester are the only guys who could really do well and Bedard could do something but coming off an injury he may not do much.  In the future he could return to doing well, so maybe they can re-sign him.
CARDINALS: The bullpen hasn’t gotten much better because Dotel is nearing the end of his career and behind him their bullpen just isn’t strong enough.  Salas and Rzepcynski are good but now I think they are out of it and they gave up Rasmus and got back a bad return and though Jay won’t be bad he won’t be able to replace him.  Furcal is only a small upgrade over Schumaker/Theroit too.  Castellanos has potential too.
YANKEES: No moves, still problems.  Not enough pitching for them could mean a playoff exit before the ALCS.  The Rangers and Red Sox are better and the Tigers have a better ace at this point and Scherzer and Fister are starting to show up.  No deal could be a huge loss and even Wandy Rodriguez looks good for them now.
WHITE SOX: They got one good future arm who won;t be an ace but good and a veteran reliever and that’s not enough for them to compete I think.
ASTROS: The really didn’t get back a lot of really good prospects but they aren’t complete losers, they just could have gotten more.  Singleton and Zied look good along with Santana and Cossart.  Oberholtzer also a good pickup.
IN BETWEEN
ANGELS: They didn’t need to really make a move but they could have.  They probably won’t the division and some oft he other hitters will heat up down the strecth anyway, so they are fine.  Their biggest problem is figuring out how to get rid of Wells so next year Trout and play with Hunter and Bourjos in the outfield and Abreu will DH.  Something going to have to happen.
GIANTS: Beltran is hurt but he could give them major production is September and even more in the playoffs and Keppinger is a number two guy they needed but not sure why they got Orlando Cabrera, at this point Tejada is better.  So they are winners if Beltran shows up, which is more likely and losers if he doesn’t 
DIAMNDBACKS: Ziegler is another good arm who will have success ad Marquis was good but they may still have enough to beat the Giants anyway and the Goldschmit call-up, could be, well, gold.

Analysis: Indians and Ubaldo, Fukudome acquired

JIMENEZ DEAL: Jimenez will be a great addition to the Indians and though he might not be as good as last years first half in Cleveland he’s in a less hitter friendly park and can work with that to lower his ERA and WHIP and start to get more hitters out and become himself again.  He should do best in the AL Central for now and though he will still have some tough outings with Cleveland he should be a true ace and keep them in the race for the rest of the year.  Down he road he should do very good for Cleveland too but to be dominant again and always have an ERA in the 2.00′s he needs to start throwing faster which means he needs to follow through at the end of his wind-up, I’ve heard and seen it and believe it to be true and if he can do that, the Indians made a nice choice in getting him but if not he will still be dominant but nowhere as good and very inconsistent, I think he can turn it around though and with his fastball he can be very big for them, but not as good as Verlander.  The Rockies got Alex White, who will be successful and always has been, he will make a great number two starter in the future and pitching in Colorado will only hurt him a little, I really like this guy and he won’t always have impressive outings but he will always only give up two or three runs and keep his team in the game.  They also got Drew Pomeranz, who keeps getting better by the day and there is nothing to dislike, he;s the future ace and could turn out to be more valuable than Jimenez to the Rockies, but that’s just a possibility.  He has a very bright career ahead though.  Joe Gardner will be a solid middle of the rotation guy who has some impressive years and he looks very good.  Matt McBride is a power hitter, who will be pretty much that in the MLB.  EDGE: Rockies
A look at each teams rotations now (With everybody healthy)
Rockies

1. RHP Jhoulys Chacin- An ace, but a lower tier one
2. LHP Jorge De La Rosa- Still ahs something left
3. RHP Alex White- Reday to step up
4. RHP Jason Hammel- A filler who will do ok sometimes but 4.50-ish ERA
5. RHP Esmil Rogers- Could get better

Indians

1. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez- Duh, he’s going to be good even with some problems
2. RHP Justin Masterson- And rising…Big Time
3. RHP Fausto Carmona- Not the best, not the absolute worst though
4. RHP Josh Tomlin- Overrated but a four starter at heart
5. RHP Carlos Carrasco- He could be more than he is right now and soon

FUKUDOME DEAL: This deal adds depth and injury relief for the Indians.  Sure, Fukudome will do better in Cleveland but he still won’t be good and he really only brings above average defense to the table.  If he hits at the bottom of the order he will do okay and make very few contributions.  The Cubs got Abner Abreu, who will be a power hitter who has potential to be a very good hitter and the Cubs also got Carlton Smith, a so-so pitcher.  EDGE: Cubs

Analysis: Rasmus a Jay, Jackson a Cardinal, Frasor goes to White Sox

JAYS: They ended up with Colby Rasmus, Trevor Miller, Brian Tallet, PJ Walters and Mark Teahen.  Personally I think Teahen’s best days are behind him but he can still play well as a utility man and provide some occansional good hitting.  He’s a bench player the Jays should stick with for a while and maybe a platoon of him and Edwin Encarnasion would be good.  Brian Tallet is a guy who can do well in any role and returns to the Jays, where he fits well.  He should do decent for them overall, when he comes back from injury.  Miller is a LOOGY and he can do the same things with the Jays as he did with the Rays and is a great veteran to have around.  Miller will not be as successful as used to be but he’s not washed up and is also a very nice fit.   Walters is a former top prospect who was turned into a very good future reliever and that future will start soon and he could be a very valuable arm.  Rasmus is the big addition.  He’s only going to get better and soon.  He should mash AL East pitching and start off good right off the bat.  He can hit anywhere and do so many things for them and I think he will play a good center field at Rogers Centre.  He will also flash more and more power and be big in the Jays running game.  His potential is big and he could be the centerpiece of this team for many years behind Bautista.  He was worth them giving up Stewart and Rzepcynski.
CARDINALS: They received Edwin Jackson, Corey Patterson, Marc Rzepcynski and Octavio Dotel.  Dotel has been traded a few times to contenders and he will show why down the stretch.  He’s an arm the Cards really needed and a veteran.  With him, Rzepcynski, Salas, Motte and Lynn this team has a deep bullpen and he could do outstanding, look for an ERA under 2.50 for him the last two months of the season.  That brings me tp Rzepcynski, who I still believe in and for the rest of the year he will be a premier middle reliever and could double as a LOOGY, though not as well.  After this season I think he could very well be an end of the rotation starter and have a spectacular season, especially under Dave Duncan.  Expect great things for him in St. Louis.  Patterson is a fourth outfielder who can play center when Jon Jay needs a rest, he has been doing really well all season but he won’t be anything astonishing in St. Louis.  Good numbers all around and okay play on the field with some steals.  Jay and him are a huge downgrade from Rasmus and I think it was a mistake for the Cards to trade him and it could hurt them down the stretch,  They needed more for him.  Jackson is a power righty and could have one of his better stints in St. Louis.  He will do nice down the stretch and is their third bests startar.  Look for him to do some good things for St. Louis and if he stays he can possibly be a real good starter and behind Carpernter, Wainwright and Garcia, dominate.
WHITE SOX: They got Zach Stewart and Jason Frasor and gave up[ Jackson and Teahen, which is fair.  Stewart will be about the same pitcher Jackson is if he’s a starter but he could be a little better because he’s more consistent and just has more flair right now.  He’s a good addition and Frasor is a good arm to setup and he could even close very well.  Frasor shouldn’t struggle too much in Chicago and is a good pickup, for Stewart it’s not as good a fit but he won’t be greatly affected by it.

Trade Analysis: Bedard to Red Sox, M’s Get Two Top Prospects

RED SOX: They get two months of Bedard.  He won’t be lights out but or be an ace but he can be very good after he fully recovers from his injury.  He won’t be like that every start but he’s much better than Andrew Miller and if he stays healthy I think he’d make a good end of the rotation starter next year, even in Boston.  Overall he doesn’t look like he could do really bad even if he is off and the Red Sox need for him and they will get something out of him.  He was a good pickup and should be a valuable asset who only gives up a couple runs and hits and barely walks anybody.  They also got Josh Fields, who was a top pick and a flamethrower, who looks like a future seventh inning guy, who will do good.
MARINERS: They got Trayvon Robinson who looks like he will be a good, solid, everyday MLB talent who puts together a very good career.  He can play good defense anywhere and has some speed and some above average tools and enough power to own Safeco at times.  He looks like he will be starting everyday for them by next year and doing a great job then too.  The M’s also got Chih-Hsien Chiang, who has enoum=rmas talent and will also be a starter, he looks like a future corner outfielder who is above average and looks like an RBI machine who will just flat-out hit.  His power could be huge too.  I like Chieng almost as much as Robinson but I can’t rank him above Robinson yet though because Robinson has too many tools.
DODGERS The Dodgers get Stephen Fife, who has had success in the minors and could very well be a good starter in the MLB, not a knockout starter but a really good starter.  They also got Tim Federowicz, a backup or maybe platoon catcher who will hit .265-ish in the MLB and get some hits but won’t be awesome and will suffer through slumps and the Dodgers got Juan Rodriguez who will either hit off or just stink, like he is right now.  With his electric arm though all he need sis some control, which is a big thing for him to get, to do a really good job.
FALLOUT: WINNER: Mariners, they have a good outfield present and future  MIDDLE: Red Sox, got a starter who will do good and a future reliever  LOSER: Dodgers, hit or miss prospects acquired and all will be role players or everyday decent players, which is good but not worth Robinson

Diamonbacks Acquire Brad Ziegler

Ziegler was traded for Brandon Allen and Jordan Norberto.  Ziegler will provide the relief help the Diamondbacks need and if Putz shows up they have him, Ziegler, and David Hernandez and that would pretty much be a shut down 7-8-9.  This deal should help the D’Backs a lot and it will lower their bullpen ERA and Ziegler will keep going and will shut teams down almost every time and he will keep his numbers right where they are, the D’Backs had to make this deal to stay in it and now their bullpen is likely to hold up and be successful.  Ziegler will have some bad outings in Arizona but nothing that will hurt the D’Backs too much, ever.  The A’s did get Brandon Allen and he has big , big power that could help him slug 30 homers year in and year out and he could even do that in Oakland.  Allen is something to get excited about and his BABIP is a little high but I think he will still hit okay and his strikeout problem should always be there but it could decrease a bit and he’s a power hitter, he’s just really good.  The A’s also got Norberto who looks like he could be a good power reliever.  Both sides win but EDGE: A’s.  Paul Goldschmit will come up for the D’Backs and he’s even better than Allen and should have success and big power real soon.

MLB Trade Notes

• The Jays and Indians like Chris Iannetta and he’d be a good addition to any contender with his power but you have to deal with a low average.  It would be worth it though because he’s not a horrible defender, nut is pretty bad and will keep getting better.  The Giants should look into him and Miguel Olivo
• Omar Infante is drawing interest, his best fit would be the Braves where he could start at short over Alex Gonzalez
• The D’Backs want a reliever and are looking at Grant Balfour, who would do really well down the stretch and is a greats setup man, he’s worth it for them
• Kevin Slowey is a guy the Twins want to trade, he won’t do real well wherever he goes, especially if it’s in Colorado
• Chad Qualls also looks like he will be leaving San Diego, the Tigers, Angels, Phillies, Cardinals, Pirates, and Diamondbacks are good fits and the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays aren’t real good fits
• Rajai Davis isn’t drawing much interest but he appears to be expendable, he’s great in the second half and is a true leadoff hitter with speed who will steal, put up a good average and play good defense every year, I like him.
• Erik Bedard could be a Cardinal and boy could he be successful there.
• In a Span for Storen deal I think the Twins would win, even though Span is a great, small ball type of player, Storen could be one of the best soon, both teams would get off good though because Tyler Clippard could be an okay closer.
• Tigers are interested in Joel Peralta, he wuld be great here but I still think I would rather them get Chad Qualls
• The Tigers are also very interested in Jim Johnson thoug a deal is unlikely.  I love this for the Tigers if they find a way to strike this deal, he’s a good reliever
• The Yankees want Wandy Rodriguez and he could do well in New York but they would have to give up Romine and some other good guys most likely so it may not be worth it but Wandy is good
• BJ Upton looks to be staying put.  The Rays could use him and it’s fine, he could still have a really good second half and be really good for the Rays
• Jason Kubel not likely to be traded to the Pirates, too bad for the Pirates a good fit a some power but his defense would have cancelled some of that.
• Ian Stewart drawing interst, good hitter just needs to get it together
• Chris Iannetta to Jays is possible, it’s always great to have three good offensive catchers
• Josh Willingham staying put, will still do very well in Oakland
• Ryan Ludwick to Indians seems likely, he won’t do great there but he will do better than he was doing with the Padres

Red Sox Acquire Aviles, Harden Deal Falls Through

NON-HARDEN DEAL: It’s best for both teams that this doesn’t go through.  The Red Sox might as well keep Lars Anderson to maybe DH or as trade bait in another deal and Harden will do best in Oakland and could revive his career there and he should do great.  Anderson should do really good in Boston and have good numbers when he finally comes up.  Harden could also keep his ERA low and do some good things in Oakland.
AVILES DEAL: Aviles has underperformed this year and that should chance, especially in Boston.  During his starting time he should do really good and get the job done but he should rake at Fenway and I could see him hitting around .350  for a while and doing a good job in Boston this year and beyond.  He’s a real good player and will d great all-around for Boston.  Yamaico Navarro was acquired by the Royals and he has some good raw talent and could be a good impact player in the MLB.  Kendal Volz looks like he’s a pretty good reliever and could be a major league talent one day, good package back but Aviles is just really good, too good to stay in a slump, the Sox could get a lot.  EDGE: RED SOX

Natioanls Acquire Jonny Gomes

It’s an okay move.  Gomes won’t do a ton and is more of a platoon guy than a starter and should help against lefties.  He can start about 120-130 games and do a respectable job but don’t expect anything higher than .265 and below average defense in the outfield.  He will take advantage of some RBI opportunities and hit 20 homers.  He should do well in Washington too, it’s an okay fit and he could be a nice option for next year.  I see him having a pretty good rest of the year for the Nats and for what the got him for Bill Rhinehart, who could be another Jonny Gomes down the road and Chris Manno, a good lefty reliever who has a nice future.  The big deal for the Reds is they get Yondor Alonso up, who I think may be just as good as a big bat being acquired.  He will hit for a good average and hit double digits in homers with some playing time.  I’d start him out hitting sixth and he should do very good and be very big for the REds and make their offense a lot better.  Alonso should have a great impact and be a very late ROY contender, but quite possibly a Rookie of the Month winner.

Dan Haren- Trade is bad idea

I don’t think it would be good for either side.  First Haren is just in a slump and he will help Arizona tons later this year and beyond, he will be a Cy contender who doesn’t give up hits.  Haren is going to be the best pitcher they will have for a while and he can’t get any worse, he’s will have struggles more often but he’s worth it.  For Haren a change of team would only make him worse, he will pitch well the rest of the year if he just stays in Arizona if not he has to start all over and that could even hurt him for next year.  If he does get traded he will just do bad for the contender and fall into a big slump.  He will always rebound fast and is the best pitcher to have around.  Haren will be among the best in the second half if Arizona holds on but just average if he’s traded.