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2008 Offseason Trade Recap
St. Louis gets: Jason Varitek Boston gets: St. Louis' 2008 1st, 2nd round picks
The skinny: The Red Birds pick up one of the best, albeit aging, catchers in baseball in Varitek. 'Tek's career .285/.352/.493 line and switch-hitting bat should fit in perfectly in the back third of the St. Louis lineup, and he should provide solid mentoring to young pitchers Sabathia and McGowan. Boston picks up two solid picks in what looks to be a pretty lackluster draft. Advantage: ST. LOUIS
Chicago gets: Juan Pierre San Francisco gets: Tim Wakefield
The skinny: Pierre was the best leadoff hitter in SPIBL from 2003-2005, but has battled inconsistency and injury the past two years. With a .312 on base percentage in 2007, the Sea Lions appear ready to give Curtis Granderson the everyday job. Wakefield has averaged 178 IP and almost 11 wins per season in his career. If healthy and allowed to play everyday, look for Pierre to rebound with one last good season. Advantage: CHICAGO
St. Louis gets: Brad Penny Chicago gets: Andrew Miller, Jeff Clement
The skinny: The classic "time to rebuild" trade. Chicago trades the once controversial "Eighteen Million Dollar Man" for two youngsters. Penny isn't what he once was, but he's still a pretty solid pitcher, and he's won 15 games twice in the NL. Penny pitched 230 innings in 2007 after missing time the two previous years, so he's a possible injury risk. Andew Miller has unquestioned "great stuff", and if he stays healthy, he will be good. Clement should develop to be a top middle of the order bat for Chicago, and one of the best catchers in the AL. Advantage: CHICAGO
St. Louis gets: Dustin McGowan Baltimore gets: Alex Gordon
The skinny: As impressive as he was (3-3, 3.91 ERA) in 2006, Dustin McGowan was bad in 2007 (1-2, 6.75 ERA). With a wealth of young arms at the ready, Baltimore trades from its excess to pick up one of the most promising young players in the game. The Stars will likely hand Gordon the starting third job in Spring Training, and he is the automatic front runner for NL Rookie of the Year. McGowan looks like a solid #2 guy long-term, but Gordon is a potential superstar. Advantage: BALTIMORE
Baltimore gets: Ivan Rodriguez Philadelphia gets: Chuck James, Marco Scutaro
The skinny: A rare deal between hated division rivals. The Stars pick up arguably the best catcher in the history of SPIBL (.293 career average, 84 home runs, multiple Gold Gloves) in exchange for a middle of the rotation lefty and a solid utility guy. James won only 6 games in 2007, despite posting a fine 4.18 ERA. He should be given an opportunity to win a rotation spot for the Phanatics. Even if you think Pudge is over the hill, this looks like a good deal for the Stars on paper, at least for 2008. Advantage: BALTIMORE
Los Angeles gets: Morgan Ensberg, St. Louis' 2008 1st rd pick Boston gets: Troy Glaus
The skinny: Christmas comes early for the Skyhawks, as they are able to unload Glaus' previously unmovable 18.1 per year salary, PLUS geta top ten pick for it. Glaus is still a decent hitter, but his durability is always a question, and with SPIBL Commissioner Mike Sorochen closing off team clubhouses to outside pharmaceutical shipments, its likely that Glaus will rack up even more time on the DL. Advantage: LOS ANGELES
Baltimore gets: Mariano Rivera Detroit gets: Byung-Hyun Kim, Baltimore's 2008 3rd rd pick
The skinny: After acknowledging that they have many holes to fill, the Outlaws trade Rivera for pennies on the dollar. According to anonymous team sources, the Detroit front office was unable to find many teams who were willing to absorb Rivera's contract (his 24.0 is tied for the highest pitcher salary in SPIBL). The Stars pick up a guy who has averaged 29 saves per season for his career. Advantage: BALTIMORE
Philadelphia gets: Chone Figgins, Travis Buck, Bronson Arroyo, Alex Gonzalez, Philadelphia 2008 1st rd pick, Houston 2008 1st rd pick, Minnesota 2008 2nd rd pick Minnesota gets: Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen, Jarrod Washburn
The skinny: Minnesota trades a ton of picks for the best young righthanded hitter in the NL. Cabrera's career lines of .323/.394/.565 place him in rare historical company. After a number of disappointing seasons, Guillen revitalized his career in his third season with the Phantics, posting a .303/.407/.492 line in 2007. With only 6 homers on the road (vs. 10 at home), expect Guillen's numbers to take a hit moving to the Metrodome. Figgins is the best player going back to Philly, and while he runs well, he doesn't do anything else exceptionally well. In the end, this deal is about Cabrera, and whoever gets him wins the deal. Advantage: MINNESOTA
Minnesota gets: Jack Wilson, Jose Valverde Chicago gets: Carlos Guillen, Derrick Turnbow, Houston's 2008 2nd rd pick
The skinny: Minnesota moves the recently acquired Guillen to Chicago, where he reportedly will play first base. Wilson is a superior defensive shortstop, but makes a lot of outs with his bat. Valverde looked like a future closer early in his career with Colorado, but was used sparingly the past two years for Chicago. If he pitches well, he may find himself in line for the closer's job in Minny. I'm not comfortable at all with Wilson, so Advantage: CHICAGO
Milwaukee gets: Mark Teahen Baltimore gets: Milwaukee's 2008 1st rd pick
The skinny: Baltimore moves one of its excess of young position players for a pick. Teahen had a solid 2006 campaign, batting .275 with 24 homers, but was left positionless after the Stars' acquisition of Alex Gordon. Teahen will reportedly work out at one of the outfield corners for the Maulers. Looking at the weak draft class, Teahen will likely be superior to what the Stars will end up getting at that pick. Advantage: MILWAUKEE
Detroit gets: Ted Lilly, Daniel Cabrera, Texas' 2008 8th rd pick Texas gets: Takashi Saito, Justin Speier
The skinny: An interesting deal of starters for relievers. Saito pitched very well for Detroit in 2006, appearing in 72 games and racking up 109 K's in 81 innings as the setup man to Mariano Rivera. He will give the Missions the closer they've been seeking for a long time. Lilly and Cabrera head over the NL, where they will dramatically improve the punchless Outlaws rotation. Lilly returns to the NL for the first time since 2002, and Cabrera's stuff should translate as well. Advantage: DETROIT
Houston gets: Kyle Lohse Milwaukee gets: Ryan Ludwick
The skinny: Lohse is 6 games under .500 for his career; Ludwick has 71 at bats in his career. The Black Dogs hope Lohse can finally fulfill his potential with a more potent lineup behind him. Advantage: HOUSTON
Colorado gets: Torii Hunter, Troy Patton, Minnesota's 2008 3rd round pick Philadelphia gets: Carlos Ruiz, Michael Cuddyer, Shawn Hill
The skinny: Philly continues its complete dismantling by trading the 4 time Gold Glove center fielder and 44 home run man in Torii Hunter. Hunter's 315 total bases and 115 RBI's will be tough to replace. Given regular playing time for the first time in his career, Cuddyer responded by having a career season, slugging 31 homers and driving in 92. Ruiz should get a shot to win the everyday catching job for the Phanatics, and Hill has the potential to be a pretty solid starting pitcher. This trade may work out pretty well for both teams. Advantage: EVEN
Colorado gets: Garrett Atkins, San Francisco's 2008 2nd rd pick San Francisco gets: Chien-Ming Wang
The skinny: Feeling that prospect Ryan Braun is near ready, San Francisco takes a calculated gamble to moving Atkins for a front-line starting pitcher. Atkins' 59 doubles should translate to more homers playing in Coors, and his .322/.396/.502 line could potentially improve. The Wanger's 18 wins were tops for Colorado, and don't be surprised to see at least half a run shaved off of his already impressive 4.13 ERA in 2008. Again, this looks like a good trade for both parties. Advantage: EVEN
Detroit gets: Phil Hughes, Ubaldo Jimenez, Brandon Phillips, Matt Clement Kansas City gets: Magglio Ordonez, Fausto Carmona, Mark Hendrickson, Baltimore's 2008 3rd rd pick
The skinny: Detroit continues its revamping, and picks up two top-notch pitching prospects in Hughes and Jimenez. Phillips has never lived up to his potential in either Minnesota or Kansas City, but given regular playing time, I suspect he will turn his career around, and prove to be a cornerstone for Detroit to build around. Ordonez is the biggest name in this deal, and his career .293/.357/.479 line shows him to be one of the more consistent hitters in the league. However, he's never driven in 100 runs, nor hit 30 homers, and that must be taken into account. Carmona is the wild card. He won 7 games for Detroit's woeful team in 2006; he might be a big sleeper pitching behind Halladay in Bedard in KC. But its entirely likely that he will be only the third best pitcher in this deal. Advantage: DETROIT
Atlanta gets: Tadahito Iguchi, Bob Wickman Toronto gets: Derek Lowe
The skinny: Toronto adds to its stellar trade resume by picking up Lowe for a league average second baseman and the bloated short fingered one. Lowe has won at least 14 games 3 out of the last 4 years in Atlanta, and folks…that's hard to do. Toronto's rotation of Lackey/Zambrano/Peavy/Lowe is great; and if the artist formerly known as Oliver Perez or THE ROCKET can return to form, oh baby. Advantage: TORONTO
Anaheim gets: Hanley Ramirez, Casey Kotchman, Pittsburgh's 2008 1st rd pick Baltimore gets: Miguel Tejada, Rafael Soriano Pittsburgh gets: Joba Chamberlain, Jason Bartlett, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Reid Brignac
The skinny: A complicated ménage a trios. Anaheim gets one of the best young shortstops in the game in Ramirez. The AL Rookie of the Year was sensational in 2007, collecting 286 total bases and sscoring 131 runs. Oh yeah, he also stole 73 bases. Kotchman is talented but injury prone, and if he can stay healthy, he may be on on-base machine in the mold of Mark Grace. Baltimore picks up a veteran middle of the order bat in Tejada, who has averaged 26 homers and 92 ribbies a year. Soriano gives the Stars another power bullpen arm. The Conspiracy announce their plans to rebuild, and this deal stocks up their farm system with some prime talent. Saltalamacchia is the rare switch hitting catcher with power; it remains to be seen if the presence of Joe Mauer will force him to be moved to first base. Chamberlain has the potential to be a top of the line starter, and look for Pittsburgh to work him in via the bullpen this year. Bartlett fills the hole at shortstop, but Brignac is the SS of the future. Advantage: ANAHEIM
Minnesota gets: Ronnie Belliard New York gets: Minnesota's 2008 1st rd pick
The skinny: The Flatirons dump Belliard AGAIN, and pick up a first round pick for their trouble. Belliard's .273/.333/.429 career line is just about replacement player level, so its likely that the first round pick will bring back a better player. Advantage: NEW YORK
Toronto gets: Placido Polanco, Jeff Weaver, Brad Radke San Francisco gets: Jim Thome, Corey Koskie
The skinny: The Sea Lions pick up a guy with 253 homers and a career SLG% of .640 for a good glove/bat second basemen and two awful contracts. San Fran also has promising youngster Dustin Pedroia in the wings to replace Polanco. Great trade for the Sea Lions. Advantage: SAN FRANCISCO
Toronto gets: Chipper Jones Milwaukee gets: Bill Hall, Jose Tabata, Brad Radke, Mike Hampton, Pablo Ozuna, Alex Escobar
The skinny: AAAAAGGGGGH!!! The shrewdest GM in SPIBL strikes again, as Jim Kies unloads Brad Radke's dead contract and ends up upgrading at third base with Chipper. Bill Hall's 2007 was magical; .288, 49 homers, 137 ribbies…but come on. HE'S BILL FREAKING HALL. Don't expect him to rack up 367 total bases again. Jose Tabata is an interesting prospect, but he's very, very young, and can go in any number of directions. Expect Chipper to be revitalized in the NL Central, especially when matching up against his old friend Whitey's team. Advantage: TORONTO
Anaheim gets: Jermaine Dye, Javier Vazquez, J.J. Putz, Dioner Navarro, Juan Castro, Marco Scutaro Philadelphia gets: Carlos Delgado, Jeremy Bonderman, Chris Snyder, Kendry Morales, Brian Wilson,, Jeff Cirillo, Jeremy Accardo, Pittsburgh's 2008 1st rd pick, Houston's 2008 3rd rd pick
The skinny: I really dislike super big deals, because its hard to evaluate them. Delgado's career SPIBL line is .253/.375/.480, not super great for a first baseman. Bonderman is the key guy in this deal. With 46 wins, he may be a long-term rotation anchor for Philly. But he's still only 4 games over .500 despite playing on some pretty good LA and Anaheim teams, so I'm not sold on him. Dye is the reigning NL MVP, and has hit 92 homers and driven in 261 runs the past two seasons. Advantage: ANAHEIM |
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