BAMAPHIN 22
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Winners
1. Los Angeles Dodgers: Don't forget the Dodgers also solved another season-long problem by getting third baseman Casey Blake from Cleveland. The four young players the Dodgers gave up in the deals — third baseman Andy LaRoche, catcher Carlos Santana and pitchers Jonathan Meloan and Bryan Morris— all are legitimate prospects, but with the NL West there for the taking, no one move will have more impact on a division race than the Ramirez acquisition.
2. Milwaukee Brewers: Losing four in a row at home to the first-place Cubs notwithstanding, Milwaukee's acquisition of CC Sabathia is this year's best pitching upgrade. He's 4-0 with three complete games since the deal plus a no-decision against the Cubs. Getting second baseman Ray Durham from the Giants also strenghtens the bench and adds a veteran to a young team still prone to defensive mistakes.
3. Los Angeles Angels: Mark Teixeira looked like the major offensive move this year — until the Ramirez deal. Still, Teixeira is more about October for the AL West-dominating Angels, who now have another major power threat with Vladimir Guerrero. With the Ramirez- David Ortiz combo broken up, the Angels have the AL's most fearsome pair.
4. New York Yankees: They filled three immediate needs without giving up much in the short- or long-term. Outfield prospect Jose Tabata is the one possible star in the deal that brought outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever Damaso Marte from Pittsburgh, but that deal also made it easier to send reliever Kyle Farnsworth to get catcher Ivan Rodriguez from Detroit to replace injured Jorge Posada.
Losers
1. Arizona Diamondbacks: They thought they had a shot at Mark Teixeira. Then they didn't find anyone — especially a veteran — to fill left field with Eric Byrnes out for the season. And at the last minute they find out the Dodgers landed Manny Ramirez. Can a week get much worse? At least they made a good pickup in reliever Jon Rauch.
2. New York Mets: Plenty of teams came through Thursday disappointed because they couldn't — and wouldn't because prices were too high — make a deal, but nobody's needs are more glaring than the Mets. Most notable is their need for at least one corner outfielder, preferably a right-handed hitter, with Moises Alou and Ryan Church injured. Holding onto prospects in a farm system drained by previous trades is prudent but doesn't solve immediate shortcomings. The saving grace is that the other NL East contenders have not made significant upgrades.
3. Boston Red Sox: Replacing Ramirez with Bay actually might be a long-term upgrade, since Ramirez wasn't likely to stay in Boston, Bay will turn 30 in September while Ramirez is 36, and Bay will make $7.5 million next season, meaning the Red Sox have plenty left to spend after clearing Ramirez's $20 million. But now is everything in Boston and Bay is going to have to prove to the American League that Ortiz needs to be pitched to.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-07-31-trade-winners_N.htm
1. Los Angeles Dodgers: Don't forget the Dodgers also solved another season-long problem by getting third baseman Casey Blake from Cleveland. The four young players the Dodgers gave up in the deals — third baseman Andy LaRoche, catcher Carlos Santana and pitchers Jonathan Meloan and Bryan Morris— all are legitimate prospects, but with the NL West there for the taking, no one move will have more impact on a division race than the Ramirez acquisition.
2. Milwaukee Brewers: Losing four in a row at home to the first-place Cubs notwithstanding, Milwaukee's acquisition of CC Sabathia is this year's best pitching upgrade. He's 4-0 with three complete games since the deal plus a no-decision against the Cubs. Getting second baseman Ray Durham from the Giants also strenghtens the bench and adds a veteran to a young team still prone to defensive mistakes.
3. Los Angeles Angels: Mark Teixeira looked like the major offensive move this year — until the Ramirez deal. Still, Teixeira is more about October for the AL West-dominating Angels, who now have another major power threat with Vladimir Guerrero. With the Ramirez- David Ortiz combo broken up, the Angels have the AL's most fearsome pair.
4. New York Yankees: They filled three immediate needs without giving up much in the short- or long-term. Outfield prospect Jose Tabata is the one possible star in the deal that brought outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever Damaso Marte from Pittsburgh, but that deal also made it easier to send reliever Kyle Farnsworth to get catcher Ivan Rodriguez from Detroit to replace injured Jorge Posada.
Losers
1. Arizona Diamondbacks: They thought they had a shot at Mark Teixeira. Then they didn't find anyone — especially a veteran — to fill left field with Eric Byrnes out for the season. And at the last minute they find out the Dodgers landed Manny Ramirez. Can a week get much worse? At least they made a good pickup in reliever Jon Rauch.
2. New York Mets: Plenty of teams came through Thursday disappointed because they couldn't — and wouldn't because prices were too high — make a deal, but nobody's needs are more glaring than the Mets. Most notable is their need for at least one corner outfielder, preferably a right-handed hitter, with Moises Alou and Ryan Church injured. Holding onto prospects in a farm system drained by previous trades is prudent but doesn't solve immediate shortcomings. The saving grace is that the other NL East contenders have not made significant upgrades.
3. Boston Red Sox: Replacing Ramirez with Bay actually might be a long-term upgrade, since Ramirez wasn't likely to stay in Boston, Bay will turn 30 in September while Ramirez is 36, and Bay will make $7.5 million next season, meaning the Red Sox have plenty left to spend after clearing Ramirez's $20 million. But now is everything in Boston and Bay is going to have to prove to the American League that Ortiz needs to be pitched to.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-07-31-trade-winners_N.htm
