First of all, let me state for the record: I do not engage in grade inflation. I simply reward competence. And thankfully for my credibility, this trade makes that very easy. Chicago Cubs trade SP Eric King, SP Randy Tomlin, and RP Frank DiPino (plus 80% of their salaries) to the Orlando Devil Rays for a 1999 1st-round pick, SP Dave Fleming, SP Angel Miranda, and RP Antonio Osuna. Blockbuster. Let’s clap it up for the Orlando Devil Rays. They...
Chicago Cubs trade 3B Vinny Castilla (plus cash this year and next) to the San Diego Padres for a 1999 2nd-round pick, a 1998 5th-round pick, and INF Jeff Frye. Let’s not ignore the comedy here. A couple months ago, Chicago acquired Castilla for: A 1997 2nd-round pick Marvin Benard Brian Rose And now? They flip him for: A 1999 2nd-round pick A 1998 5th-round pick Jeff Frye That’s not a rebuild. That’s a receipt. Chicago’s Side:...
Oh. Oh this is fun. We’re free from the monotony of one-for-one Seattle liquidation specials and instead get… a full-blown, multi-team asset redistribution summit. Deep breath. Let’s go team by team. Montreal Expos: Quiet, Smart, Efficient Montreal receives: Marvin Benard Mario Valdez Montreal needed center field help in the worst way. They’ve been getting below-replacement production out there all season, which is… not ideal for a...
The St. Louis Cardinals trade OF Steve Finley and C Damian Miller to the Milwaukee Creams for C Jorge Posada, OF Gerald Young, and INF Mike Lansing. Oh thank God. A real trade. Adults in the room. Actual stakes. No draft-pick vending machine. No “listed price, exact payment received.” Just two contenders looking at their roster and saying, “Yes. Now.” Let’s break it down. Milwaukee’s Side: Window? Open. Push. Historically, Milwaukee...
The Arizona Diamondbacks trade RP Billy Brewer and a 1998 4th-round pick to the Seattle Pilots for SP Eddie Guardado. God, I’m tired. But professionalism demands we continue. Let me know if this sounds familiar: Seattle publicly lists a player.Seattle publicly lists the asking price.Seattle receives exactly that price.Everyone nods seriously as if this was complex. Eddie Guardado was on the block for a 4th-round pick. Seattle received a...
The Toronto Blue Jays trade C Hector Villanueva, RP Kevin Wickander, and a 1999 5th-round pick to the Seattle Pilots for RF Dante Bichette, C Joe Girardi, and cash. There’s a lot happening here. None of it especially important. If you opened a dictionary and looked up “rearranging chairs on the deck of the Titanic,” this transaction might be cited as a visual aid. Let’s start with Seattle. Seattle’s Side: Price Listed, Price Paid The...
The Charlotte Knights trade OF Dion James and a 1997 4th-round pick (via Kansas City) to the Seattle Pilots for RP Mike Hartley. The league-owned Seattle Pilots woke up this morning, looked at their roster, and essentially listed it on Craigslist — complete with prices. Nothing quite like taking the art out of negotiation. Charlotte’s Side: Low Drama, Solid Value Charlotte lands Mike Hartley, an offseason free-agent signing by Seattle...
The Toronto Blue Jays trade OF Luis Gonzalez, 3B Carney Lansford, and P John LeRoy to the Charlotte Knights for INF George Arias, 3B Jeff Branson, and P Pat Combs. If this feels familiar, that’s because it is. I just finished praising Toronto for acquiring Luis Gonzalez. And now? They’ve flipped him. Let’s start in Charlotte. Charlotte’s Side: Betting on the Best Player Much like I wrote when Toronto acquired Gonzalez, he is — once...
The Charlotte Knights trade CF Lenny Dykstra to the Orlando Devil Rays for a 1999 3rd-round pick and RP Jay Powell. Let’s start in Orlando, because this wasn’t so much a luxury move as a necessity. Brian Jordan’s injury forced their hand. And in a bit of cruel timing, they had just dealt Tony Womack — the most obvious internal replacement — leaving them staring at the very real possibility of regular Ron Jones innings in center field....