Another day passes in the offseason and another day of trades to grade.
🔁 Washington Senators & San Francisco Giants
Washington Sends:
- 1995 SF 3rd Round Pick
- 1996 SF 3rd Round Pick
San Francisco Sends:
- 1995 SF 4th Round Pick
- RP Jim Poole (ML)
Grade: Washington: B+
Grade: San Francisco: B+
Washington continues its methodical offseason of smart trades for need. While not the transformational reliever he’s been after, Jim Poole is a decent middle reliever — left-handed, decent ERA; he’ll help bring some veteran presence to this bullpen and be one less piece that Washington needs to worry about finding in free agency.
San Francisco has begun his sale with an unnecessary reliever, picking up an extra pick and moving up in this year’s draft.
🔁 Orlando Sun Rays & San Diego Padres
Orlando Sends:
- 3B Ken Caminiti (ML)
San Diego Sends:
- CF Deion Sanders (ML)
- SS Jose Oquendo (ML)
- LF Ruben Sierra (ML)
- 2B Robby Thompson (ML)
Grade: Orlando: B+
Grade: San Diego: B+
This blockbuster is wild. Caminiti is the centerpiece and easily the best all-around player in the deal — a switch-hitting slugger who plays good enough third base defense. San Diego pays big, sending Orlando a full infield and outfield’s worth of veterans.
Thompson still has value at the keystone, and Oquendo is a utility wizard, Sierra can still hit and Deion is Deion.
Orlando gets quantity — and fills multiple holes — but San Diego walks away with the best player. It’s just a question of whether Caminiti’s presence alone is enough to swing contention.
🔁 St. Louis Cardinals & San Francisco Giants
St. Louis Sends:
- 1996 STL 1st Round Pick
- 1B John Jaha (ML)
- LF Alex Ochoa (AAA)
San Francisco Sends:
- CL Randy Myers (ML)
- RP Rusty Meacham (AAA)
Grade: St. Louis: B+
Grade: San Francisco: A-
Your esteemed Mr. Wexler has written in past articles about the availability (or lack thereof) of impactful young relievers – Troy Percival, Billy Wagner, and Mariano Rivera among them. Randy Myers, a wily veteran among them, was and is perhaps the best closer currently available. With a number of teams in need of great relievers, St. Louis strikes first. Oh, and Rusty Meacham ain’t bad.
St. Louis gave up a decent amount to acquire this extension eligible closer – a first round pick next year, which, assuming they return to the playoffs, will be a later pick and one that won’t be missed. Jaha has the rates and completely s*&! the bed last year – a nice lotto ticket for a team looking for them. And Ochoa is probably a fourth outfielder on a title chasing team, but can start now. San Francisco has set a bar for pitching trades this offseason.
St. Louis meanwhile, adds Myers and Meacham to a bullpen that already is led by Steve Chitren, Mariano Rivera, and Graeme Lloyd, among others. It will be curious to see where Myers fits in, but make no mistake about it, St. Louis is building a monster at the end of games.