Passing The Deadline
The best thing about the trade deadline is that it's over. I used to enjoy the speculation, but it's reached the point where the rumors have overshadowed the games themselves, and that ain't right. That's why you haven't seen any trade speculation here. That, and laziness. Now that it's done, there are some things I want to say about what did happen.
Earlier this year, I told anyone who would listen that the Yankees would not be able to fix any breakdowns through trades, as the Yankee farm system had nothing left to offer. Little did I know that both the Phillies and the Pirates would be willing to give up good players for nothing. In exchange for Abreu, one of the best players in the game despite his unexplained power outage this year, the Phillies accepted a tools guy hitting .240 with two homers in low A ball, a pitcher whose upside is to be Damaso Marte, and two guys who are three years away from hitting a major league roster. This trade would have been laughed out of a good Yahoo league.
But at least Pat Gillick and the Phillies can use the excuse that someday these guys might be good. Dave Littlefield of the Pirates doesn't even have that. Craig Wilson is a useful player who can play first base and right field and crush lefthanded pitching. The Pirates misused him for several years and finally gave him away for Shawn Chacon. Yep, Shawn Chacon, a guy who has had an ERA of 7.00 two of the past three years and walks as many batters as he strikes out. I used to think that Littlefield was simply hamstrung by having to work for a complete moron of an owner. Now I just think that Littlefield is an idiot.
There were some other head-scratching moves. Littlefield made some small amends for the Wilson trade by getting a modest pitching prospect from the Tigers for Sean Casey, a great guy in the clubhouse who lacks the power needed for a modern first baseman, grounds into a ton of double plays, and is a lousy defensive player. I know that the Reds have been desperate to improve their pitching; do they really think that Kyle Lohse is the guy to do that? The Padres spent the last week trying to acquire a third baseman; failing that, they traded for Todd Walker and plan to plug him in for OJT at the position.
I'm amused by the reaction of the media to the Dodgers' pickup of Greg Maddux. Not that Maddux won't help the Dodgers; he's still a decent enough fifth starter. But there were some who needed to be reminded that this isn't the 1995 Greg Maddux; this is the 40-year old with ERAs well over 5.00 each of the last three months. I'm even more amused by Chicago writers like Phillip Rogers who think that the Cubs got something valuable in Cesar Izturiz. What they now have is double your Neifi, double your fun.
Oh yeah, Littlefield and the Pirates again. Having just traded Craig Wilson, why give up two pitchers to pick up Xavier Nady, who walks, quacks, and sheds water like Craig Wilson, only not as well? What a hopeless franchise. I've picked on the Royals a lot this year, but the Pirates are just as dismal.
Only 364 shopping days until next years' trading deadline. Start your rumors any time.
Earlier this year, I told anyone who would listen that the Yankees would not be able to fix any breakdowns through trades, as the Yankee farm system had nothing left to offer. Little did I know that both the Phillies and the Pirates would be willing to give up good players for nothing. In exchange for Abreu, one of the best players in the game despite his unexplained power outage this year, the Phillies accepted a tools guy hitting .240 with two homers in low A ball, a pitcher whose upside is to be Damaso Marte, and two guys who are three years away from hitting a major league roster. This trade would have been laughed out of a good Yahoo league.
But at least Pat Gillick and the Phillies can use the excuse that someday these guys might be good. Dave Littlefield of the Pirates doesn't even have that. Craig Wilson is a useful player who can play first base and right field and crush lefthanded pitching. The Pirates misused him for several years and finally gave him away for Shawn Chacon. Yep, Shawn Chacon, a guy who has had an ERA of 7.00 two of the past three years and walks as many batters as he strikes out. I used to think that Littlefield was simply hamstrung by having to work for a complete moron of an owner. Now I just think that Littlefield is an idiot.
There were some other head-scratching moves. Littlefield made some small amends for the Wilson trade by getting a modest pitching prospect from the Tigers for Sean Casey, a great guy in the clubhouse who lacks the power needed for a modern first baseman, grounds into a ton of double plays, and is a lousy defensive player. I know that the Reds have been desperate to improve their pitching; do they really think that Kyle Lohse is the guy to do that? The Padres spent the last week trying to acquire a third baseman; failing that, they traded for Todd Walker and plan to plug him in for OJT at the position.
I'm amused by the reaction of the media to the Dodgers' pickup of Greg Maddux. Not that Maddux won't help the Dodgers; he's still a decent enough fifth starter. But there were some who needed to be reminded that this isn't the 1995 Greg Maddux; this is the 40-year old with ERAs well over 5.00 each of the last three months. I'm even more amused by Chicago writers like Phillip Rogers who think that the Cubs got something valuable in Cesar Izturiz. What they now have is double your Neifi, double your fun.
Oh yeah, Littlefield and the Pirates again. Having just traded Craig Wilson, why give up two pitchers to pick up Xavier Nady, who walks, quacks, and sheds water like Craig Wilson, only not as well? What a hopeless franchise. I've picked on the Royals a lot this year, but the Pirates are just as dismal.
Only 364 shopping days until next years' trading deadline. Start your rumors any time.
posted by Jim at
5:34 PM
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