April's Trades (plus a couple May trades in here as well) Disclaimer, you may or may not agree on my views. Argumentation is always healthy for the soul, that's unless you have no factual evidence to back up your claim. Angels got C Miguel Olivo 35 72 C 1 yr 1.91 M (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) Dodgers got C Hank Conger 26 71 D 1 yr 600 K (.000 0 HR 1 RBI) Winner: Dodgers, got younger and dumped salary. Real winner, no one. No impact on either side. Reds got 1B Greg Bird 21 59 C 1 yr 180 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) Yankees got SP Jeff Francis 33 72 C 1 yr 890 K (3-0 2.60) Winner: For this year it has to be the Yankees, only if Francis keeps these numbers up. Will Bird get a shot once Votto moves on? Only time will tell. Astros got 3B Alex Rodriguez 38 81 A 1 yr 6.91 M (.276 5 HR 14 RBI) Yankees got 2B Ronald Torreyes 21 70 C 1 yr 60 K (.238 0 HR 3 RBI) SS Gregorio Petit 29 64 D 1 yr 710 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) Winner: Astros. Torreyes has made no impact in the majors yet, so much so that Aaron Hill was brought in to take over of the 2B duties. Gregorio’s days as Yankees are now over as he was released in May. A-Rod in the other hand has helped turned out the young and awful Astros around. The Astros now sit at 22-19, 6.5 behind the leaders Seattle. Cubs got SP Michael Pineda 25 79 B 1 yr 970 K (2-3 3.24) CP David Robertson 28 87 B 1 yr 6.90 M (0-1 2.00 8 SV) LF Brett Gardner 30 80 B 5 yrs 8.12 M (.216 1 HR 11 RBI) C Gary Sanchez 21 60 B 1 yr 80 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) Yankees got SS Starlin Castro 23 81 A 5 yrs 30.30 M (.241 2 HR 8 RBI) CF Albert Almora 19 63 B 1 yr 70 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) Winner: Cubs if they resign Robertson, even with him walking they may be able to add a draft pick by offering a qualifying offer. If he doesn’t resign the Cubs may still chalk it as a win as they added their catcher of the future and what could be their future Ace in Pineda. As well as a lead-off hitter for the next half decade. The Yankees can chalk it up as a win if Castro regains his form and Almora becomes his potential. Padres got C Adrian Nieto 24 63 C 1 yr 580 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) White Sox got RF Jeff Francoeur 30 73 C 1 yr 2.67 M (.222 1 HR 2 RBI) Winner: ????? Frenchy can have an impact this year and if Nieto ever makes it to the Majors it probably won’t be with the Padres. Dodgers got SP Garett Richards 25 76 B 1 yr 690 K (2-2 4.10) LF Colin Cowgill 27 65 C 1 yr 60 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) Angels got SP Paul Maholm 31 75 C 1 yr 1.58 M (0-0 .000) RP C Withrow 24 75 C 1 yr 660 K (0-0 7.20) Winner: Dodgers. Not even close, unloaded salary and upgraded with Richards. Giants got SP Roberto Osuna 19 53 A 1 yr 80 K (0-0 .000) Blue Jays got SS Brandon Hicks 28 66 B 1 yr 550 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) Winner: Giants. Even if Osuna doesn’t pan out (2/1 odds say he will). Giants for now and forever. Where are they now Brandon Hicks edition: AAA. Rangers got SP Matt Barnes 23 71 B 1 yr 80 K (0-0 .000) 3B Garin Cecchini 22 69 B 1 yr 90 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) SP Trey Ball 19 59 A 1 yr 110 K (0-0 .000) Red Sox got SS Elvis Andrus 25 87 B 1 yr 4.84 M (.193 3 HR 8 RBI) CF Ryan Strasborger 26 61 C 1 yr 70 K Winner: Rangers. They moved Andrus for a trio that may make it to the big leagues and have a huge impact on the future. Elvis has had a slow start at Boston, does this mean Xander will be a 3B for life now? Boston had more serious needs than SS. Dodgers get SP Jen-Ho Tseng 19 62 C 1 yr 60 K (0-0 .000) Cubs get RP Yimi Garcia 23 64 C 1 yr 80 K (0-0 .000) Winner: Dodgers. Another mind boggling move as they are a clear winner in the deal as Tseng's potential doubles that of Yimi. Rays got RF Gregory Polanco 22 79 A 1 yr 490 K (.107 1 HR 3 RBI) 1B Kendrick Morales 30 79 C 1 yr 3.86 M (.231 2 HR 9 RBI) Pirates got RF Wil Myers 23 83 A 1 yr 1.30 M (.261 3 HR 27 RBI) 1B J. Loney 29 76 C 3 yrs 7.55 M (.271 5 HR 26 RBI) Winner: Long term it should be the Rays as Polanco figures to be a better player than Myers. Short term, stats say Buccos big time. Cubs got C Jordan Pacheco 28 75 C 1 yr 500 K (.261 0 HR 5 RBI) Rockies got CP Jose Veras 33 79 C 1 yr 1.7 M (0-0 .000 0 SV) Winner: Colorado, they acquired a closer to take over for Betancourt. Veras 0 SV are due to Robertson booting him out when the Cubs acquired him in the Yankees trade. Giants got 2B Howie Kendrick 30 83 B 2 yrs 18.69 M (.191 1 HR 6 RBI) SP Hunter Green 18 55 C 1 yr 80 K (0-0 .000) Angels got SP Tim Lincecum 29 81 B 2 yrs 13.72 M (0-4 9.68) 2B Mark Scutaro 38 75 A 1 yr 4.17 M (.245 2 HR 5 RBI) Winner: Giants. They secured a top 5 2B and a top 5 prospect of the Angels organization for a number 3/4 starter (soon to be a #4/5). Also Scooter, but Scooter will become an old old man in Anaheim quickly. If only their record was better this GM would win GM of the Year with the steals he has pulled off. Diamondbacks got LF Alfonso Soriano 38 82 A 1 yr 6.7 M (.240 7 HR 20 RBI) RF Ichiro Suzuki 40 75 A 1 yr 3.1 M (.322 1 HR 11 RBI) SP Brian Mitchell 23 69 B 1 yr 860 K (0-0 .000) RF Justin Higley 21 66 B 1 yr 70 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) SP Michael Feliz 20 67 B 4 yrs 2.80 M (0-0 .000) Yankees got 2B Aaron Hill 31 85 1 yr 9.3 M (.235 5 HR 27 RBI) RP Joe Thatcher 32 72 C 1 yr 860 K (0-0 .000) SP Jose Martinez 19 62 B 1 yr 70 K (0-0 .000) LF Stryker Trahan 19 55 B 1 yr 60 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) C Yorvit Torrealba 35 74 B 1 yr 2.93 M (.222 0 HR 0 RBI) Winner: Yankees, if they are able to make it to the postseason and Hill plays a major role in it. Other than that it may be a draw. Both teams acquired rentals while exchanging a lot of prospects. Diamondbacks might have gotten the better deal as they got a 3 for 2. Indians got SP Ariel Peña 24 61 C 1 yr 70 K (0-0 .000) Brewers got C Jake Lowery 24 61 C 1 yr 60 K (.000 0 HR 0 RBI) Winner: Point is moot, neither figure to ever make it to the bigs. Why would the Brew Crew trade for a C prospect? My top 5 non-realistic trades are as follows, for those of you that complain or bring up horrendous claims without any evidence (or factual evidence). A-Rod moving to the Astros. A-Rod would never move from the Yankees, why because: 1. No other team would take him 2. No other team would trade for him 3.He’s A-Rod and that contract is awful Giants moves. Do the Angels need pitching? Of course, but they would never trade for another over the hill pitcher, have you seen their staff? Also Osuna for Hicks lol, Alex would be fired after making that move. Dodgers dumping their salary on the Angels. Sneaky guy this guy, dumping salary on his rivals while upgrading. Free agents getting traded. Higley & Feliz were both picked up by the Yanks from Free Agency in April. Morales as well for the Buccos. Starlin Castro moving in April. A big no no but after the Sox offered up trash the Yanks had to move swiftly, who knows maybe Lackey and Ball (plus another 3B for the Cubbies) would’ve been enough for Castro in this league. It’s plausible that Starlin moves on irl as his lack of effort has gotten him in trouble in the past, plus this Baez kid is supposed to be better and they’ve Alcantara in the minors as well, but in April? No way Jose. Just for the kicks and laughs here are some more Frenchy, no one wants Frenchy. That’s why he’s rotting away in the minors. White Sox trading for him? Nuh uh. Another C? Why on earth would the Padres want another C? I’m guessing they want 10. While Ichiro & Sori can both be traded it would be weird to see them move to a last place team, unless Ichiro is moving back to retire with the M's. The Yankees rebuilding in one month. Possible? Nope. But why would they trade for Jeff Francis in June/July if they would never get to play with him. The Yankees GM has won the acquisition market by a wide margin. And then there is the trade that didn’t happen, twice. Orioles get RP Rex Brothers 26 81 B 1 yr 650 K (0-0 1.38) Rockies get SP Bud Norris 28 75 B 1 yr 1.27 M (1-2 3.15) RP Ryan Webb 28 71 C 1 yr 1.67 M (1-0 7.15) and then again Orioles get RP Rex Brothers 26 81 B 1 yr 650 K (0-0 1.38) Rockies get SP Bud Norris 28 75 B 1 yr 1.27 M (1-2 3.15) RP Brad Brach 27 68 C 1 yr 490 K (0-0 .000) Rex is after all a reliever, these trade offers seem benign compared to some of the fooleries that have gone on. Grading Free Agency Pirates signed 1B Kendrys Morales (used for trade to get Loney & Myers. Grade B-) RP Matt Daley (roster depth? Not on MLB squad. Grade C-) CP Franz Borowitz (young guy with huge potential. Grade B+) Rangers signed LF Juan Pierre (.184 0 HR 5 RBI. He has less SB than David Wright. Grade D-) Yankees signed SP Dontrelle Willis (2-0 1.33. Guy has been dominant out of the pen. Grade A+) RF Justin Higley (used in the Hill trade. Grade B-) SS Stephen Drew (.211 0 HR 3 RBI. Was supposed to play 2nd and give DJ days off, hasn't happened. grade D) SP Chris Kohler (young 18 year old with huge potential. Grade A) SP Jaime Garcia (4-3 3.24. Started off on fire and has cooled off. Grade B+) RP Jason Motte (2-1 2.20. Set up man alongside Madson, has been dominant. Grade A) SP Michael Feliz (used in the Hill trade. Grade B) RP Ryan Madson (2-1 2.13 1 SV. Guy was brought up and has since been a set up man. Grade A) SP Jeff Niemann (needed to sign people to get to 90. Grade C) RP Mickey Storey (needed to sign people to get to 90. Grade C+) SP Barry Zito (needed to sign people to get to 90. Grade C-) OF Franklin Gutierrez (.224 3 HR 5 RBI. Signed for depth now a starter after the Ichiro/Sori trade. Grade C) Mets signed CP Julio Ruiz (young player with a bunch of potential. Grade B+) Tigers signed RP Cristhian Martinez (0-0 10.03. That ERA, ouch. Grade D) Dodgers signed OF Vernon Wells (lol why??? Not on the MLB squad. Grade F) Reds signed SS Cesar Isturis (.364 1 HR 1 RBI. Grade B+) Indians signed RP Nik Turley (Not in the Majors. Grade C-)
