Graham Wexler Post-Deadline Rumors Column What a trade deadline that was. For most of the day it looked like we were headed for the baseball equivalent of a wet firecracker. A few sparks, a lot of waiting around, and plenty of front offices insisting they were “working the phones.” Then the final 80 minutes happened and suddenly the whole league remembered how trades work. Some moves were expected, others came completely out of left field,...
The New York Yankees trade 1B Kazuhiro Kiyohara and RP Chris Brock to the Kansas City Royals for a 1997 3rd-round pick (via San Diego), a 1997 5th-round pick (via San Diego), SP Mark Leiter, and LF Ricardo Ingram. Here’s a fun one. The Yankees, who spent the offseason proudly unveiling Kazuhiro Kiyohara as one of their headline international acquisitions, have now flipped him to...
The St. Louis Cardinals trade P Jason Jacome and OF Eric Owens to the Arizona Diamondbacks for P Miguel Batista. Not every deadline trade needs to involve six prospects, three draft picks, and a franchise identity crisis. Sometimes it’s just a team that needs money moved and a team that needs someone—anyone—who can start a baseball game competently. That’s essentially what we...
Orlando Devil Rays trade RP Toby Borland to the Oakland Athletics for OF Chris Latham and RP Anthony Chavez With no offense meant to Orlando and Oakland, Orlando needed to move salary to be cap compliant. Oakland used his cap to buy a slightly better player. Everybody wins. Trade Grades: Oakland Athletics: A Orlando Devil Rays: A
The deadline is less than eight hours away and the stove is technically hot… though right now it might be more of a lukewarm simmer. Here’s what I’m hearing: Relief Pitcher MarketIf you’re looking for bullpen help, good luck. The relief market is bone dry at the moment. A few contenders are poking around for rentals, but nobody seems eager to actually pull the trigger. The deal sending Julio Valera for a 4th-round pick appears to have...
The Chicago Cubs trade 1B Kent Hrbek, P Julio Valera, and UTL Craig Shipley to the Washington Senators for P Scott Ruskin, 1B Don Mattingly, a 1997 4th-round pick, and a 1998 5th-round pick. The Chicago fire sale continues, and at this point the Cubs have stopped pretending otherwise. The metaphorical neon sign outside Wrigley currently reads: “TAKE OUR PLAYERS.” They are not hiding the strategy. They are not being subtle. They are not...
The Chicago Cubs trade P Scott Garrelts, OF Dan Pasqua, 3B Scott Brosius, and CF Cecil Espy to the Toronto Blue Jays for INF George Arias, OF Roberto Kelly, OF Pat Watkins, and OF Lance Johnson. Finally. After weeks of middle infielders changing teams like spare batteries and the Seattle Pilots auctioning off their entire franchise one Craigslist post at a time, we get an honest-to-goodness deadline baseball trade. Contender buys...
The Arizona Diamondbacks trade OF Chad Curtis to the Florida Marlins for 2B Kevin Jordan. It wouldn’t truly be trade deadline season without Arizona and Florida making at least one deal with each other, and thankfully the baseball gods have once again delivered. This one won’t lead SportsCenter, but it does contain that rarest of things in deadline deals: actual common sense. Let’s start in...
The St. Louis Cardinals trade a 1997 4th-round pick (via Toronto) and INF Orlando Miller to the Arizona Diamondbacks for INF Jose Vizcaino. Welcome to that wonderful part of the calendar where teams suddenly realize they need one more middle infielder, and trades start happening that feel less like roster moves and more like administrative paperwork. This one fits the mold perfectly. St. Louis: Defense First,...