The 2008 MLB Trade Deadline Breakdown (Full Version)

The MLB Trade Deadline Breakdown is how I got started writing on the Internet, 10 years ago. Like Peter Gammons, this is one of my favorite times of the year. Last year was the first that I did not publish a Trade Deadline Breakdown since I began in 1999. Being the baseball nerd I am, I could not allow another July 31 to pass without providing the most complete, concise and convenient recap of the notable deadline deals you don’t have to pay money for (though you are welcome to do so). This year was the biggest deadline I have ever covered. Three sure-fire future hall of famers were dealt, along with two of the game’s best ptichers, perennial all-stars at first base and in the outfield, and of course, dozens of notable prospects. Who made the right moves and who set their team back a few seasons? Let’s get to the Breakdown (trades ordered in importance).

Dodgers Get:
OF- Manny Ramirez

Red Sox Get:
OF- Jason Bay

Pirates Get:
RHP- Craig Hansen (from BOS)
OF- Brandon Moss (from BOS)
3B- Andy LaRoche (from LAD)
RHP- Bryan Morris (from LAD)

Manny Ramirez trade rumors fluctuated throughout deadline day. First, he was going to the Marlins, then to the Dodgers, then the deal was off, then Pittsburgh got involved after walking away from a deal with the Rays, and a blockbuster three-way was pulled just before the deadline passed.

Ramirez is a future hall of famer and is still one of the best clutch hitters in the game. The L.A. lineup should see a significant boost with Man-Ram in the middle. However, the Dodger outfield will be crowded. Joe Torre will have to find a way to give Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Andruw Jones, and Juan Pierre ample playing time, without the benefit of a designated hitter. As far as the possibility of Manny slacking off, with hopes of big contract for 2009, he’ll be playing for the money. That means we should see Manny at his best as the Dodgers make a run at the NL West.

The Red Sox will try to replace Ramirez with Canadian slugger Jason Bay. The numbers on the year are quite comparable (Ramirez: .299-20-68; Bay: .282-22-64). Bay will be a defensive upgrade over Manny and will steal the occasional base. The question marks regard how Bay will respond to the pressures of the big stage and how he will perform in the clutch September and October at-bats that made Ramirez famous.

Pittsburgh fairs very well in the deal, getting top prospects from both teams as they swap star outfielders. The three 24-year-old prospects will head straight to Pittsburgh to play for the big league club. Hansen was bred as a closer in the Red Sox organization, and could find himself tossed into the closer-by-committee caused by the injury of Matt Capps and trade of Damaso Marte. Hansen is a hard-throwing righty who has struggled in his first big league season, posting an ERA of 5.58 in 32 relief appearances. Moss will take Bay’s spot in left field. Blocked by Boston’s robust outfield, Moss has been major league ready for over a year and will now finally receive the chance for everyday play. Andy LaRoche is the younger brother of Pirates first baseman Adam LaRoche. Andy has been a buzzworthy prospect for years, but has yet to make a splash in the bigs. Still regarded as one of the best in the Dodgers farm system, Andy projects to be a .290-.300 hitter with 25-30 home runs. Morris, only twenty-one, is still years away from the majors – even if it is the Pirates. A first-round pick in 2006, Morris is a strikeout pitcher, compiling 149 through 136.2 innings of Rookie League and A-ball. However, he still gives up a lot of hits and must improve stamina and pitch count. In 2008, Morris is averaging under 5 innings per start.

Boston finally grew tired of “Manny being Manny” and paid a heavy price to rid themselves of the elite slugger. On top of the prospects, they pay L.A. for Manny’s remaining salary. Bay did have one more year to go on his contract, but he was sure to be dealt next July. When opportunity knocked, Pittsburgh was wise to advance the timetable. They pick up three major league-ready top prospects and a potential rotation topper a few years down the road, more than they could have ever gotten from a single team next July. Boston makes a small downgrade on the field to rid themselves of a distraction that won them two World Series. Los Angeles now possesses the best hitter in their division (you could make a case for Matt Holliday), but will have to keep him and all of the other talented outfielders happy. Definite upgrade, but it is a rental. All of the teams will be happy with what the move does to their team, but one team was clearly in the right place at the right time, and makes up for the awful Nady/Marte deal.

The Winner: Pirates
Pennant Impact: 5 (out of 5) 

Cubs Get:
RHP- Rich Harden
RHP- Chad Gaudin

Athletics Get:
RHP- Sean Gallagher
OF- Matt Murton
2B/OF- Eric Patterson
C- Josh Donaldson

Let the arms race begin! With the Brewers making a big move, the division leaders responded. The Cubbies pick up one of the five most dominant pitchers in the game (when healthy). Harden was 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 77 innings for Oakland. In his Chicago debut, a dazzling 10 K effort in only 5.1 IP. But let’s go back to that parenthetical. Harden’s health is always a question mark and he has already missed a month this year. His 14 starts this season are one more than his total from the past two seasons. Gaudin is an above average reliever who can also spot start if someone gets injured (say, Harden).

Sean Gallagher is a promising young righty, who has been dazzling at times for Chicago this season. His control still needs work, but the move to Oakland’s pitching paradise should provide an ideal setting to improve. Murton was once a highly touted prospect, traded from Boston as a key part of a 4-team deal in 2004 that involved Nomar Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera. He is just 26 years old, but it seems that we have been waiting on the red-headed wonder forever. Eric Patterson is the younger brother of draft bust Corey Patterson. Eric possesses much of the same skill set: speed, surprising pop, and unlike older brother, Eric walks from time-to-time. At this point, he’s riding the fence between AAA and the majors. Donaldson was a 2nd round pick out of Auburn in the ‘07 draft. He is athletic for a catcher, with an outstanding eye at the plate. Catchers are extremely hard to project, but Donaldson has plenty of positives.

Billy Beane does what he does. He dumps soon-to-be free agents and snags some promising prospects. It’s not necessarily a bad deal for the A’s, but the Cubbies are one step closer to breaking the 100-year curse.

The Winner: Cubs
Pennant Impact: 4

Angels Get:
1B- Mark Teixeira

Braves Get:
1B- Casey Kotchman
RHP- Steve Marek

Mark Teixeira is dealt for the second consecutive trade deadline. This time from Atlanta to Los Angeles of Anaheim whatever the hell they call themselves. The Halos were quietly the best team in baseball, but this deal, coupled with beatdowns of Boston on national television, finally has them on everyone’s radar. The Angels have a deep rotation, a lock-down bullpen, speed, defense, small-ball – they play like a well-oiled NL club. The one thing they lacked was power. Vladimir Guerrero got off to the worst start of his career and Torii Hunter is not exactly a slugger. Teixeira is. He has hit no fewer than 30 home runs in all but his rookie season of 2003 (26 HR). He has at least 100 RBI every season in that span as well. And he’s a switch hitter to boot. Why can’t a player this talented stay with a team? His agent is Scott Boras and nobody has a billion dollars around to pay the guy.

Kotchman personifies the Angels. He is a gold glove caliber first baseman who hits for average with the occasional long ball. He’s on pace for a .285-20-80 season. Not Teixeira numbers by any means, but quietly sufficient. Marek projects to be in the bullpen at the big league level. As banged up as Atlanta has been, that could be tomorrow.

This deal is tough to call. Teixeira is obviously better than Kotchman, but he is a rental. The Angels are already going to win their division, so he has to deliver in the postseason for this deal to be worth it. Then again, Teixiera will not be the only Angel up for free agency at year’s end – Francisco Rodriguez, Juan Rivera, and Jon Garland’s contracts will also run out. Vladimir Guerrero and John Lackey will have one-year options for management to consider. This team may not hold together for another season, why not give yourself the best chance to win when the opportunity presents itself? Also, the Angels have the much-ballyhooed Kendry Morales waiting in the wings at first base should Tex leave. Kotchman should be a fan favorite in Atlanta for years to come, but I think the Angels made the right move here. They didn’t have to give up the farm and answer their lone question mark heading into the playoffs. Get out your Rally Monkey.

The Winner: Angels
Pennant Impact: 3
 

Brewers Get:
LHP- CC Sabathia

Indians Get:
OF- Matt LaPorta
LHP- Zach Jackson
RHP- Rob Bryson
Player TBN

The Indians have been one of the biggest disappointments of the year (many predicted a Seattle/Cleveland ALCS). This trade was the official throwing in of the towel. Sabathia, who will be a free agent at the end of the year, is likely a rental for the Brewers, who are behaving like contenders for the first time in over two decades. He and Ben Sheets make for a nasty front-end of the rotation.

Matt LaPorta is a pure hitter. In the Brewers organization, he drew comparisons to another young star, Ryan Braun. I have seen LaPorta in person in the AA Southern League, and he looks like a star. Expect him to be in the Cleveland lineup next year – maybe even toward the end of this season, when the Tribe is 25 games out. Jackson is a 6′5″ lefty with pretty good stuff, but very shaky command. His brief major league stints have been disastrous, but he has a great minor league resume. He projects as a middle reliever. Bryson is extremely raw at this point. He possesses a mid-90s fastball and a high strikeout rate. In just a year and a half of pro ball, Bryson has started, closed, and pitched middle relief.

Milwaukee is now built to win, but they’ve got some work to do just to make the playoffs. I’m not sure they get in, and they certainly don’t re-sign Sabathia. It’s a risky rental, but the only player of consequence they lost was LaPorta who would have had trouble breaking into the bevy of young talent already in the Brewers lineup. The Tribe gets a potential 40 HR talent at the cost of a guy they were losing anyway. I hate to do it, but this is a win-win.

The Winner: Tie
Pennant Impact: 3
Yankees Get:
OF- Xavier Nady
LHP- Damaso Marte

Pirates Get:
RHP- Jeff Karstens
RHP- Daniel McCutchen
RHP- Ross Ohlendorf
OF- Jose Tabata

The Yankees have been red-hot as of late, and have played themselves back into the AL East race. Coming into the deadline, GM Brian Cashman had two goals: get a solid right-handed bat and a left-handed reliever. He accomplishes both in one deal. Nady is having a career year (.330, 13 HR, 57 RBI), and provides far more reliability than recently signed righty Richie Sexson. Marte is one of the league’s best southpaw relievers. Filling in for injured Pirates closer Matt Capps, Marte notched 4 saves while allowing just three hits over the two-week span. He won’t close in New York, but he will be the number two guy in the pen behind Mariano Rivera. Marte is likely a rental, unless the Yanks choose to pick up his $6 million option at season’s end. Nady’s contract runs through 2009.

Tabata may be the best of the slew of prospects Pittsburgh got in return. Baseball America ranked him third among Yankee prospects, noted for his ability to hit for average. In AA this year, Tabata has not backed up the praise, hitting just .248, though he has swiped 10 bases. He also has not always backed up fellow outfielders, being benched earlier this season for lackadaisical play in right field. Karstens was shuttled from the Yankees to AAA often from 2006-2007. This year, injuries have kept him the minors, where he has posted an ERA just over 3.00. Expect Karstens to be an end of the rotation guy for Pittsburgh before the season ends. Ohlendorf has been in the big leagues this season, coming out the pen sporting a 6.53 ERA. He has a high-90’s fastball and has the stamina to be a workhorse. The problem is, he may not have the stuff to pitch 200+ innings at the big league level. McCutchen, the last of the trio of righties, is also the farthest from the majors. Still in A-ball, he has a very good curveball, but will have to develop other pitches to be effective.

This deal feels like a fleecing. The Yanks fill both of their significant holes, giving up two end of the rotation/middle relief AAA pitchers, an A-ball nobody, and an underachieving outfielder. Even if Tabata reaches potential, he’s no Nady, who the Pirates could have kept through next season. This seemed like a hasty deal by Pittsburgh, who still hasn’t got this whole small-market trade strategy down, which is why they will continue to cellar-dwell.

The Winner: Yankees
Pennant Impact: 3

White Sox Get:
OF- Ken Griffey Jr.
Cash

Reds Get:
RHP- Nick Masset
2B- Danny Richar

Finally, after years of deadline rumors, Ken Griffey Jr. is moving to a contender. With his contract almost up in Cincinnati, the Reds call it quits on what was a less than positive homecoming. Injuries, rebuilding, injuries, and consistently one of the worst teams in baseball. Career home runs number 500 and 600 were sprinkled in to remind us of how great Junior still is.

I’m not going to even try to hide my bias here – I am a huge Griffey fan. When he was with Seattle and I still collected baseball cards, I had everything Griffey. Watching him hobble around as part of a terrible team for the better part of a decade has been excruciating. Now, I’ve never been a particular fan of the White Sox, and I despise Ozzie Guillen, whose mother should wash his mouth out with soap, but with Junior in centerfield, I’ll have to pull for a postseason appearance.

As for the deal itself, Sox G.M. Kenny Williams has wanted Griffey for years. This year, however, the move doesn’t make a ton of sense. The ChiSox already score a boatload of runs, and inserting Griffey means less time for Nick Swisher and Paul Konerko. Junior will also return to centerfield, causing a few experts to label him a defensive liability.

Masset will go straight to the Reds starting rotation, not because he is good, but rather, in the words of G.M. Walt Jocketty, “We’re really short on starting pitching.” Richar has above average power for a middle infielder, but below average contact in AAA. Contrary to the goal of most free agent-to-be dump trades, Cinci didn’t really acquire anything. This move was either (1) to give Junior a chance to win a World Series or (2) to make sure the Reds didn’t have to deal with the public reaction to passing on the 2009 option on Cinci’s own future hall of famer.

He may be old, and he’s never going to be as good as he was in Seattle, but Griffey is riding a 12-game hitting streak and will be playing with passion, because if there is one thing the carefree Kid is serious about, it is winning a World Series.

The Winner: White Sox
Pennant Impact: 2
 

Yankees Get:
C- Ivan Rodriguez

Tigers Get:
RHP- Kyle Farnsworth

Why not deal another future hall of famer while we’re at it? Pudge’s power numbers and defensive capabilities have been slowly declining since his move to Detroit, but he remains one of the better catchers in the game. The Yankees needed a backstop after Jorge Posada elected to have season-ending shoulder surgery. Already with a defensive specialist in Jose Molina, Pudge is a great choice to provide an offensive spark to a lineup that doesn’t need any help producing runs.

Farnsworth will be making his second stop in Detroit. He’s a consistently average, veteran reliever. The Tigers bullpen has been in shambles as of late. Todd Jones has hit the DL, Joel Zumaya has been a gas can, and Fernando Rodney is far from a secure closer. Farnsworth will be a good addition, but there is no doubt who the better player is in this deal. Aging or not, Rodriguez is one of the greatest catchers ever and the Yankees were in desperate need of his services. Point is, the Tigers should have garnered much more in return than Farnsworth.

The Winner: Yankees
Pennant Impact: 2
 

Dodgers Get:
3B/1B- Casey Blake
Cash

Indians Get:
C- Carlos Santana
RHP- Jonathan Meloan

With Arizona making moves, Los Angeles had to get involved, also believing they have a team built to win a crummy division. The Dodgers finally shut down their hot corner carousel (Garciaparra, DeWitt, LaRoche, Martin) by acquiring Casey Blake. Blake gives you a very predictable, very healthy stat line. Expect .280, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 80 R. He is on pace to meet or exceed all of those marks this year. He is also versatile, comfortable playing either corner of the infield or right field. The Indians’ clubhouse leader should be a great fit in this Dodger lineup that is less about flash and more about N.L. small ball.

Carlos Santana is a tremendous prospect at a position that is tough to find stars. The switch-hitting catcher currently leads the entire minor leagues with 96 RBI. In A-ball this season, the 22-year-old is batting .323 with 14 HR. More impressive, Santana has more walks than strikeouts (69:59). I hear he is also quite legendary on the guitar (sorry, I had to go there). Meloan is a minor league veteran. After coming into the minors as a starter, he was converted to relief. This season in AAA, he was converted back to a starter. Upon acquiring him, the Indians are converting him back to a reliever again.

Blake will provide great veteran leadership to the Dodgers down the stretch. Santana could be one of the game’s next great catchers, though he’ll be roadblocked in Cleveland by Victor Martinez just like Russell Martin would have caused problems for him in L.A. There seems to be no position harder to project to the big league level than catcher. Santana seems like a great one, but because of all the busts at backstop, I’m inclined to give a slim win to Joe Torre’s club.

The Winner: Dodgers
Pennant Impact: 2
 

D-backs Get:
RHP- Jon Rauch

Nationals Get:
2B- Emilio Bonifacio

The D-backs’ hot start and subsequent mediocrity has already been chronicled in the breakdown. But, with the NL West division leaders sporting records under .500, it won’t take an extraordinary team to make the playoffs. Arizona is trying to get there by adding a top of the line reliever to the bullpen. Rauch was filthy as the Nats’ closer, posting a 2.92 ERA, 17 saves, and a 46:7 K:BB split. However, it is worth noting that Rauch’s ERA has risen almost an entire point in the past month. He won’t be closing in Arizona… yet, anyway. Brandon Lyon has given up at least one run in 4 of 8 July appearances, so the situation is worth monitoring. At worst, Rauch is as good an insurance policy as you can have.

Bonifacio is a speedster. In fact, he is probably the fastest guy in the minor leagues. Last year, he led the Southern League (AA) in steals (41) and hits (157). The defense and the speed are big league level, but scouts wonder if Bonifacio could hit for leadoff average. Don’t think Jose Reyes, but Luis Castillo back when he was with Florida could be pretty accurate.

Rauch will help the D-backs pen down the stretch, but I think Arizona may have undervalued Bonifacio. Note that it is far from universal opinion, but I think Bonifacio is going to be a terrific major league 1-2 hitter.

The Winner: Nationals
Pennant Impact: 2
 

Phillies Get:
RHP- Joe Blanton

Athletics Get:
2B- Adrian Cardenas
LHP- Josh Outman
OF- Matt Spencer

Joe Blanton has not had the season Oakland was expecting when he took the mound as their opening day starter. 5-12, 4.96 ERA, and a 1.42 WHIP is not an ace’s stat-line. In his past five starts, Blanton has been bipolar, allowing 6, 1, 7, 1, and 8 runs. The Phillies are counting on more 1 days than 8 days. They have some reason to be hopeful. The former first-round pick was 14-10 with a sub-4.00 ERA in 2007. He certainly couldn’t hurt what is already a less-than-deep rotation.

Cardenas was a top prospect in the Phillies organization, and is one of the top 50 in the game. Trained as a second basemen for Philadelphia, Cardenas is versatile enough to play a handful of positions. Outman is a developing left-hander who was rising through the Phils’ prospect list pretty fast. Spencer was a 3rd round draft choice in 2007 out of Arizona State. Early in his pro career, Spencer is a power hitter with a knack for clutch hits.

The A’s continue to rebuild, even though they are in second place. It is starting to seem less about small-market economics and more about being cheap. Blanton has the track record to believe he can turn it around, and the Phils desperately needed another starter for their race with the Mets and Marlins.

The Winner: Phillies
Pennant Impact: 2
 

Yankees Sign:
1B- Richie Sexson

Not a trade, but still a noteworthy move. Sexson was released by the Mariners, freeing them from his enormous salary (over $13 million) and his miniscule batting average (.218). The Yankees pick up an extra right-handed power bat off the bench, a small, but important hole to fill. The question now becomes: how will Sexson handle being a platoon player for the first time in his career? Word out of Seattle was that the slugger did not take too kindly to being sat down when in a slump (which has been a pretty constant state for Richie over the past two seasons). Perhaps the biggest impact of this deal is that it quells the rumors of Hank Steinbrenner going after Barry Bonds.

Pennant Impact: 1

Brewers Get:
2B- Ray Durham

Giants Get:
OF- Darren Ford
LHP- Steve Hammond

The two hottest teams in baseball since the All-Star Break have been the New York Yankees and the Milwaukee Brewers. The CC Sabathia trade has energized the ballclub and CC’s three complete games haven’t hurt either. Durham provides an excellent platoon player. The veteran second baseman will perhaps kick-start Rickie Weeks, whose 2008 has been a disappointment so far (.226-9-32-14). Competition can be a good thing. If Weeks doesn’t turn the corner (which he appears to finally be doing), Durham can provide the OBP expected of a leadoff hitter (near .400 on the season).

For the Giants, this deal was more about clearing Durham’s salary than gaining quality players. Darren Ford is a 22-year-old A-ball version of Houston’s Michael Bourne. Ford has 48 stolen bases this season, which means he must steal a pair each time he gets on – he’s only batting .230. Hammond is in AAA where he is sporting an ERA over 8.00. He was a serviceable starter in AA.

It is highly doubtful that either prospect does anything of note in the major leagues. Then again, they are going to San Francisco, which is quickly becoming a AAA quality club. Great veteran pickup for Milwaukee to help their playoff push (I’m thinking Dave Roberts to Boston in 2004).

The Winner: Brewers
Pennant Impact: 1
 

Marlins Get:
LHP- Arthur Rhodes

Mariners Get:
RHP- Gaby Hernandez

After being in the running for Manny Ramirez, landing Arthur Rhodes doesn’t seem like much of a victory for Florida. However, the Marlins needed a veteran lefty in the pen for their improbable playoff push and Rhodes is among the best you can get. After a shaky 2006, it looked like Rhodes’ career had come to an end. In 2008, he returned to form for his 17th season, posting a 2.86 ERA with 26 K’s in 22 IP.

Gaby Hernandez has had a buzz around him since 2005, when the Mets dealt him for Paul Lo Duca. The 22-year-old battled for a spot at the end of the Marlins rotation in spring training, but fell just short. It was the beginning of a rough 2008 for Gaby, as he went 2-8 in AAA before being demoted to AA, where he still has an ERA over 4.00. Still, for someone so young with enough promise to be considered for a big league rotation, a bump in road certainly doesn’t spell the end of the world.

The Winner: Mariners
Pennant Impact: 1
 

D-Backs Get:
1B- Tony Clark

Padres Get:
RHP- Evan Scribner

The Diamondbacks offense began the season hotter than the Arizona desert, but have cooled considerably since – their team batting average has dropped 40 points since April 30. In search of a remedy, the D-backs welcome back an old friend. Clark spent the past three seasons with the club, as an occasional starter, reliable pinch-hitter, and clubhouse leader. A switch-hitter is always nice to have off the bench, and with such a young roster, the 36-year-old’s leadership could be beneficial.

Scribner is a developing closer in A-ball. Splitting time between high-A and low-A, he had a combined 2-4 record with 9 saves and an ERA around 1.50, and played in the Midwest League All-Star Game. He was his college’s all-time saves leader, despite spending part of his time as a starter. Averaging about two strikeouts per inning pitched, Scribner is certainly on his way to putting his name in the race to replace Trevor Hoffman in San Diego.

The D-backs may like Clark, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll contribute too much at this stage of his career.

The Winner: Padres
Pennant Impact: 1
 

Astros Get:
LHP- Randy Wolf

Padres Get:
RHP- Chad Reineke

Randy Wolf was one of many pitchers clearly made known to be on the market. What is surprising here is that he lands with a team battling Pittsburgh to not be last in the NL Central. Wolf had a stretch in June where he was unhittable, but on the season sports a unimpressive line (6-10, 4.74, 105:47, 1.42 WHIP). Even those numbers are a mirage. Most of Wolf’s quality starts came in spacious Petco Park. On the road, he had an ERA near 7.00. Houston has to think they have an inside track to re-signing Wolf, who becomes a free agent at year’s end, at a discount price.

Reineke has Wolf-like numbers in AAA (5-9, 4.41, 100:35, 1.31). He’ll likely get a shot with the Padres by September, as they look toward 2009. Reineke has been relatively successful in the minors, but has yet to look dominating in his two seasons at AAA Round Rock (formerly the Jackson Generals). Still, he’s 6′6″ with a nasty slider and could be a rotation filler at the big league level. Plus, the Padres dump the remaining $3.5 million they owed Wolf.

Normally, I chastise moves made solely to dump salary. However, the other end of this one is so dumb that I can’t. The Astros, with one of the worst records in baseball, take on the inflated salary of a below average pitcher who will become a free agent in a few months, and they give up a prospect for him. That’s like paying someone to beat you with a crowbar. (Feel free to comment with a better simile displaying payment in exchange for pain)

The Winner: Padres
Pennant Impact: None
 

Indians Get:
RHP- Anthony Reyes

Cardinals Get:
RHP- Luis Perdomo

The Indians stink. It’s about all you can say for the team many picked to win the World Series. So, Tribe management is just going to demolish the whole thing and start over. Reyes was highly-touted coming out of the Cardinals organization, but has yet to find success in the majors. In his only two season of considerable work (2006-2007), Reyes posted ERAs of 5.06 and 6.04, respectively. His limited action in 2008, all from the bullpen, has not been pretty either. He has been pretty good as a starter in AAA Memphis this year, although not going deep into games. In 11 starts, he has just 5 decisions (2-3).

Perdomo was an all-star closer this season in A-ball, notching 18 saves with an ERA under 1.00. He is just getting his feet wet in AA. Combined with Chris Perez (AAA), Perdomo should be part of a next-generation Cardinals bullpen. As many leads as the pen has blown this year for St. Louis, I’m sure Dave Duncan can’t wait. Also, Perdomo is our second musical reference of the night, sharing his name with a jazz pianist.

Perhaps the Indians will be able to unlock the once-promising potential of Reyes. Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes (see Carlos Pena, Adrian Gonzalez, or Sammy Sosa). Perdomo seems like a nice pickup for the future of an aging, erratic bullpen.

The Winner: Indians
Pennant Impact: None
 

Astros Get:
RHP- LaTroy Hawkins
Cash

Yankees Get:
INF- Matt Cusick

The Yankees continue to part ways with some of the veteran members of their bullpen. The journeyman right-hander, Hawkins, heads to his sixth team in four seasons. Perhaps one of the most overrated relief pitchers in the game, Hawkins is having a horrid season, with an ERA near 6.00. He has never been a strikeout pitcher and is walking too many. Again, it makes no sense for Houston, a team clearly out of the hunt, to take on the salary of a bad veteran player.

Cusick is a young third baseman out of USC. Still in A-ball, he won’t be a power hitter, but has above average contact and a great eye at the plate. He’ll likely have to move to the middle infield to earn consistent major league playing time with his offensive skill set. Still, the Yanks get rid of a player so bad, even they don’t want his salary, and they pick up a raw prospect. It’s time to fire the G.M. in Houston.

The Winner: Yankees
Pennant Impact: None

Nationals Release:
C- Paul Lo Duca
C- Johnny Estrada
INF- Felipe Lopez

Following the deadline, the Nationals cleaned house, releasing three veteran players. Lo Duca and Estrada both battled injuries all season, while recently acquired Emilio Bonifacio bumped Lopez from the starting lineup, thus no longer justifying his almost $5 million salary. Exit bad team mode; enter rebuilding mode.

Pennant Impact: None
The Overall Winners

1) New York Yankees – General Manager Brian Cashman deserves some A-Rod money for his work this trade deadline. The Yankees were winners in three of the four most lop-sided deals this year. They steal Xavier Nady from Pittsburgh to give them a quality right-handed bat. They get one of the best catchers ever, Ivan Rodriguez, to fill the hole left by injured Jorge Posada. Essentially, they gain Nady, Marte, and Rodriguez at the cost of Farnsworth and Karstens. They also dump the salary of LaTroy Hawkins and gain a nice prospect in the process. They did waste money signing Richie Sexson, who may soon replace Mendoza’s nameplate on the .200-line, but it’s the Yankees, wasting money is what they do.

2) Chicago Cubs – The Brewers acquired CC Sabathia and were closing fast in the NL Central. The Cubs answered back brilliantly with the acquisition of Rich Harden. Now, the Cubbies have the best rotation in baseball and a great bullpen piece in Chad Gaudin. They did have to give up Sean Gallagher, but 100 years of waiting means you’ve got to go for it all.

3) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – The best team in baseball filled the one hole they had by adding switch hitting slugger Mark Teixeira. Put him in the center of an order with Torii Hunter and Vlad Guerrero, and it looks like the makings of a World Series trip.

The Overall Loser

Houston Astros – Why in the world is an out of contention team trading prospects to acquire overpaid, soon-to-be free agents? The fans in Houston will be glad to know that their management is determined to make the moves needed to keep them in the race for 5th in the NL Central. They won’t accept finishing last, even if it means finishing in that neighborhood for the next few years.

That wraps up the 2008 edition of the Breakdown. After a year off, it’s great to be back. Here’s hoping for a 2009 edition rolling out this time next year.