Robert Ross MLB Baseball Article: The Trade Deadline'

MLB Ross Report: The Trade Deadline
by Robert Ross

The Trade Deadline is so named because teams that are dead in the water seek to make trades with other teams still hoping to stay in line for a postseason bid.

There weren't all that many deadline deals and most were not earth-shattering. Many of the deals rumored to be in the works never happened, many of the players expected to be on the move never moved. The Giants did nothing, the Reds hardly did anything, Florida and Washington weren't involved. Maybe there were too many buyers and too few sellers.

A few deals came before the deadline with the Los Angeles Angels involved in a strange one that left everyone wondering why they would help the New York Yankees. That's precisely what they did when they swapped backup catcher Jose Molina to the Bronx for a player to be named. The deal gave the Yankees a solid backup behind Jorge Posada, where before they had only Wil Nieves, who couldn't hit a lick. The deal also left the Angels thin at catcher as Mike Napoli strained his hamstring right after Molina left. Curious.

Of course, it didn't stop the Angels from dealing a weekend sweep to the Detroit Tigers, who stood pat at the trade deadline though they could certainly use some pitching help with all their recent injuries.

Division mate Chicago did not stand pat, sending 2B Tadahito Iguchi to Philadelphia for a minor-league pitcher. That�s a cheap price to pay for the Phillies, who can certainly turn around and trade Iguchi for another minor-league pitcher (at least) anytime they�re ready.

San Diego's Scott Linebrink brought three minor league pitchers from Milwaukee, which looks like plenty. If they had traded Linebrink to Chicago for Iguchi, would the White Sox still owe them two minor league pitchers? Not likely. Only problem here was the timing with San Diego still in the thick of the N.L. West leaving the players wondering what management was doing.

Another set-up man, Houston's Dan Wheeler, went to Tampa Bay for INF-OF Ty Wigginton. The Astros then designated 3B Morgan Ensberg for assignment, hoping someone would show some interest (that turned out to be the Padres). Tampa Bay was looking to bolster its bullpen for next year in hopes its young starters continue to improve and they can actually contend some year. Fat chance of that with the Yankees and Red Sox throwing mega-bucks at every off-season free-agent warm body but they can dream, can't they?

The Red Sox outdid the Yankees at the deadline, picking up Eric Gagne for southpaw Kason Gabbard and a couple of prospects from the Rangers to bolster their bullpen. The Yankees depleted their bullpen, sending Scott Proctor to the Dodgers for INF Wilson Betemit.

Proctor becomes the 7th inning guy for the Dodgers. Betemit, now traded a couple times in the last couple seasons, gives the Yankees a lefty bat off the bench and insurance at both 1B and 3B. He would become the third baseman, apparently, if A-Rod opts out of his contract at the end of the year or if A-Rod shifts to first base for next season with Jason Giambi moving on.

The N.L. East was where the action was with all three contenders, the Mets, Braves and Phillies, all swinging deals to fill needs. The Mets got their fill-in second baseman to replace the injured Jose Valentin when they acquired Luis Castillo from the Twins. The Phillies bolstered their rotation by getting Kyle Lohse from the Reds for a minor-league deal.

The Braves made the potentially blockbuster deal for both this year and the future when they acquired switch-hitting 1B Mark Teixeira (plus pitcher Ron Mahay) from the Texas Rangers for C-1B Jarrod Saltalamacchia and three prospects (two pitchers and an infielder). The Rangers get help for the future, the Braves get help for this year, and next as they look to overhaul the Mets in the division race. They bolstered their bullpen as well in picking up Octavio Dotel from the Royals for Kyle Davies, who wasn�t working out as a starter. Not sure who the Braves are going to put in his spot in the rotation though unless they have another deal in the works.

St. Louis, hanging on the fringes of the N.L. Central race, picked up pitcher Joel Pineiro from the Red Sox. Pineiro can start or relieve and give the Cards some innings.

All in all, an interesting trade deadline but there could have been a few more deals made. Matt Morris didn't go anywhere, Jose Contreras stayed put, Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey, Jr. are still in Cincinnati. We�ll see in the coming weeks what impact the deals that did get done have on the division races.

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