Official Trade Deadline Thread - Page 2

"Randy Johnson, Eddie Guardado, Nomar Garciaparr, Mike Sweeney, Larry Walker and Kris Benson are still available, and I keep hearing strange rumors involving guys that have no business getting traded (Mark Teixeira, Ben Sheets and Barry Zito). I haven't seen this many big names in midseason trade rumors in a long, long time."

There is a chance that every one of those guys will be traded or NONE OF THEM will be traded. Benson is the only lock. I think the reason why it is the most boring trade deadline ever is because there is Randy Johnson to the Yanks or NO GOOD PITCHERS that will be traded. Benson is a good pitcher. He will be a #3 on any team he is traded for. Garcia, a #2. Johnson, who looks like he will go to the Yanks or nobody, would be the only DIVISION CHANGING ACQUISITION of the bunch.

Last year, the trading deadline sucked. It was terrible. But this year has a chance to be much worse because half the guys rumored to be traded will not be traded. I still doubt Walker, Sweeney, Nomar, Guardado, and Johnson will be traded. You will look back at this year and see that Carl Everett (not at the deadline), Kris Benson, Freddie Garcia (not at the deadline), Steve Finley, and Carlos Beltran (not at the deadline) would have been the deals. Pretty shitty.

Oh, and a lot of guys who were traded last year contributed pretty well for the team that got them.
Everett, Boone, Lofton, Ramirez, Williamson, Urbina, and Stewart had a significant role in the way their team played ending at the world series. Most performed pretty damn well. They were not big names, but they contributed.

Still though, how can it be a boring deadline when theres a legitimate shot that players of that calibur will get traded? The biggest name last year was what? Kenny Lofton?

http://www.newpartisan.com/display/S...&entryId=34100

In Defense of Baseball's Much-Maligned No Trade Clause
by Tim Marchman

Of all baseball controversies, surely the most absurd is that which comes when a star player refuses to waive a no-trade provision clause in his contract.

“He’s selfish,” grouse the fans. “Doesn’t he want to win?” the pundits ask. Usually the situation ends in character assassination, mutual recrimination between star and team, and bitterness on the part of fans who refuse to recognize that ballplayers are, before they are anything else, normal people with all the concerns and desires that anyone else has.

Witness the controversy caused by Toronto first baseman Carlos Delgado, who recently announced he would not be waiving his no-trade clause. As the Blue Jays have had an unexpectedly disappointing season, as Delgado is a free agent after this season, and as his salary accounts for nearly 40% of their payroll, the team was hoping to trade him, perhaps to Los Angeles, for prospects and financial relief. This seemed especially desirable given that there is no chance the Blue Jays will retain Delgado at anything like his present salary, and relatively little chance they will retain him at all. The Jays told Delgado they would like to offer him around and asked him if he would accept a trade.

“When I walked out of that office,” he told the Toronto Star, “I said I was going to think about it, go home to talk to my family and my agent. That’s what I did. This is where I wanted to be. So this is the decision that I made.”

It should be kept in mind that Delgado is about as closely associated with his team and city as any player in the game. He entered the season as the franchise’s all-time leader in runs, extra-base hits, walks, home runs, on-base average, slugging average, and RBI, and seems to get far more out of living in a cosmopolitan city than most jocks.

He is also, incidentally, one of the most thoughtful and interesting players in the game. He refuses to stand for “God Bless America” because of his strong opposition to American foreign policy, and has used his time, money, and name to speak out against the U.S. Navy’s use of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques for weapons testing. Whether or not one agrees with Delgado’s politics, it’s certainly refreshing to see an athlete who takes the idea of being a role model seriously enough to stand on unpopular beliefs, even if doing so in Toronto is not the same as doing so in St. Louis.

His reward for being a great player and a citizen of integrity has been the questioning of his desire and competitive instincts. Peter Gammons has suggested that Delgado should waive his no-trade clause because of poorly sourced “perceptions” — “the perception around the game is that he doesn’t care about going into the postseason,” he wrote in a column for ESPN’s Web site. Writers for Toronto newspapers have peppered their pieces with disingenuous jabs at Delgado, especially when discussing Arizona’s Randy Johnson, who said last week that he’d be willing to waive his no-trade clause if it helped Arizona and landed him with a contender.

There is no difference at all between what Johnson and Delgado are doing; the difference lies with the teams. Like Toronto, Arizona would prefer to have prospects and cash rather than their star player; unlike Delgado, Johnson wants to leave his team. More important than this difference is the similarity in the two siuations. Each man is wielding the no-trade clause as a tool to ensure that he can play where he wants to play.To hold one up as a paragon of nobility and the other as sulking and selfish is not only ridiculous and unacceptable, but ignores the nature of how the no-trade clause works.

This clause is earned only by players with the leverage to demand it. Therefore, it only remains useful to a player so long as he remains valuable to the team. Those who pillory Delgado for refusing to waive his contractual rights should keep in mind that if the Blue Jays truly find him an intolerable burden, they always have the option of releasing him. There is a quite recent precedent for doing so.

Seattle’s first baseman, John Olerud, refused to accept a trade to San Francisco, largely because he is from Washington, and his family — including a daughter with special needs — lives there. So the Mariners simply released him, denying him that which he had sought to protect by originally negotiating the no-trade — the ability to avoid having to choose between his job and his family.

A player might want trade protection for any number of reasons, and they need not be as good as Olerud’s. He might want it because he likes the city he plays in, because he doesn’t want to be separated from his family, because he wants to use it as leverage toward a contract extension from the team to which traded if he does agree to the trade, because it satisfies his ego, or for all or none of those reasons. The point is that whether he chooses to use it for personal reasons or financial gain, he owes no one an explanation, just as teams owe no explanation when they exercise their rights over a player’s career. In both cases, rights which have been negotiated are being exercised.

Baseball is a cold business. Most players have no control over where they and their families will live and who they will work for and with; those who have earned such control have every right to use it without their character being questioned. It would be a fine thing if ESPN was in the habit of trading their employees to TV stations thousands of miles away; we could then see if Gammons and his ilk felt a bit more strongly about a man’s right to control the place and conditions in which he works.

Aww boohoo I make mucho bucks but I hate having to change locations. Wah wah people lose their jobs and 401k's everyday and have no agents or fancy hotels they can stay in let alone another job that wants them.

Evolution decides.... People on the lower totempole = 0.. Pampered athletes = 1.

I'm not bitching about the money they make i'm bitching about their bitching. I agree these teams should have never signed these guys with no trade clauses its their mistake period not the players. However I realize change is a hard thing for anyone what these guys are really changing (Home, enviroment) isn't really that bad. Players have never been as pampered or catered to as much as they are now. Maybe thats a good thing but these aren't the fucking dark ages. Life is good in baseball. Look at the shelf life of a player in the NFL compared to baseball. These guys go down to injury generally bad ones and they get paid less yet you won't find these guys moaning like this.

The D-Backs apparently had a sweet deal cooking with the Dodgers. Looks like a standoff now, the D-Backs are convinced that the Yanks don't have a worthwhile package, the Unit will only go to NY and his agent is threatening that Randy will be unhappy if they don't make the move to NY (Garagiola's response of 'how will I tell the difference' is classic though). My guess right now? The D-Backs are being truthful when they say they don't feel like they have to move him. In the 11th hour, Randy will have to decide if he wants to get traded to a contending team, or wallow in misery with my crappy D-Backs blowing all his wins. I think if push comes to shove, Randy will blink.

Whatever team gets Kris Benson also gets his HOT WIFE.

http://www.annabenson.net/

WTF?
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1849414

[quote]The Florida Marlins traded pitcher Brad Penny, Hee Seop Choi and highly regarded Double-A pitcher Bill Murphy to the Dodgers for relief pitcher Guillermo Mota, catcher Paul Lo Duca and outfielder Juan Encarnacion.[/quotel]

So the Marlins have given up already? Odd to give up a SP in Penny and a young(potential) stud in Choi.

So the Mets get Benson and Zambrano...

somehow not realizing that there are three teams in their division who are significantly better than them and that Tom Glavine has an 8-8 record due to the Mets having a lousy offense. Genius!

V. Zambrano walks more people than anyone in the league and Kris Benson is ok.

Mets might be stocking up for next year or another deal. They aren't going anywhere this year.

The Phillies are going to finish in fourth place. What a joke.

The Dodger trade is a worry if the package it for The Big Unit. Cards have best record meaning the Cubs/Dodgers play in 1st roung if Cubs get there. Facing The Big Unit twice would suck.

Maybe your boys should have fired Bowa before the season started...

nice trade for the dodgers. sucks to lose mota but having penny makes up for that plus the upside of choi. the mets trading for zambrano baffles me. why would they trade kazmir for that guy when they wouldn't trade him and reyes to get soriano before the season started?

[QUOTE=Anyawatchin Angel]WTF?
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1849414

Word from AZ is that this whole trade is because of the D-Backs. The D-Backs have a giant hard-on for Billy Murphy, but when Finley refused a trade to Florida they thought they couldn't get him. The Dodgers grabbed him in the hopes that the 11th hour Unit trade comes around. If it doesn't, Finley for either Murphy or Werth. Looks like Penny/Murphy/Werth for Unit, not sure where Finley comes into play if Randy accepts LA.

This is hardly his fault. Ed Wade has been in charge for 7 years and has never made a move to put the Phils over the top when they are in a race. Assuming he doesn't do anything by tomorrow (and that seems very likely), he's the one that should get canned. Bowa probably will wind up taking the fall, though. He's far from perfect, but he's not the big problem right now.

Phillies get Felix Rodriguez for Ledee and a minor leaguer. Decent trade. Need bullpen help desperately, so this fits the bill. I'm hoping that Wade has a CF move lined up because I don't want to watch Jason Michaels and Doug Glanville in the OF for the rest of the season.

Mota and LoDuca shouldn't have been dealt. Terrible trade for the Dodgers.

I was wrong! They're calling up Marlon Byrd, who didn't hit well in the bigs this year, nor did he hit well in AAA ball! Hooray!

Also, Phils deal for Reds reliever Todd Jones. Ed Wade seems to be working his ass off to get this team to finish in 3rd place. Bravo, Ed.

2 hours left and counting....

This is a bit of a tease for a trade deadline so far. It seems Peter Gammons just makes these ideas up in his head then goes on Sportscenter and tries to make it sound like he is "in the know."

If Randy Johnson were traded it would peek my interest, but at this late time I dont see it happening. ALso, I am surprised Billy Beane hasn't worked his way in to a three way deal yet; he seams to do that every year (besides the Dotel move).

Between my Tigers and Phils this has been a bit disapointing. Despite what people say, Urbina is going nowhere unless the Giants give up the goods and it doesnt look like they will. Bowa and the boys are sliding and I desperately do not want to see another Braves team win the division just to lose in the first round like they do every year. Damn Braves!!!!!

The baseball Gods taunt us all.

According to the latest ESPN report, Unit accepted the Dodgers but the deal won't go because they can't come together on which players would be in the trade. That's fucking stupid. You don't even have the basics in place when you ask Unit to accept LA? Even more confusing, they're talking about Jayson Werth, Billy Murphy and another prospect for Finley to LA. The D-Backs love Murphy, and Werth is a very good OF prospect, and they can get all of that for Finley? What the hell? No wonder they're having trouble figuring out what Unit is worth, they're giving a ton for a 40 year old outfielder on the last year of his contract.

ESPN is reporting that the Diamondbacks GM is saying Randy will not be dealt. Yankees fans all say
" Ahhhh " and the Redsox and other AL contenders sigh in relief. I thought maybe Steinbrenner and Cashman would make a few setup trades and moves to get the Unit yet they didn't get the pieces they needed. I have to say i'm surprised because they always trade and this year they didn't. Although they have no talent in the farm system or so I hear so guess its no surprise.

Crazy trade talk in Chicago

Possible 3 way deal

Cubs ger Nomar and Lowe
Red Sox get Clement and Cabrera
Montreal gets Agon and a bunch of prospects

Isn't nomar sitting a hurt achilles today?

Where is Rommel?

Another possibility-Cabrera foe Wellmeyer and Beltran-I can handle that. Beltrn will be solid, Wellmeyer is good but walks alot of guys. Pull the trigger Hendry.

Loiza and Schoenweiss to the Yankees? Poor Yankees they think they are improving.

Finley went to the Dodgers. They still haven't announced who the D-Backs got back. Unit stays.

Dodgers did bad in this deal not geiing The Big Unit. They give up their team leader in LoDuca and their set up man for Gagne. Choi will be a bench player and you just pissed off Milton Bradley making him play LF cuz Fin has to play CF. This will hurt the Dodgers for the post season.

D-Backs supposedly get Werth, Murphy and possibly one of the top Dodgers pitching prospects. Even without a prospect I'd consider that a fleecing.

Chicago radio says White Sox Trade Loiza for Contreras of the Yankees.

Nomar to the Cubs in 3 way action

Details on who are traded soon...

Holy shit boring no longer!

BAD fucking day for sox fans, yanks get rid of the cuban con man and we lose nomar.....this really sucks

i die over the talk of the dodgers losing loduca. he was a good player but a catcher who bat's .300 with no power and has proven he wears off in the second half of the season is no huge loss. losing mota is huge though but they really needed another starter. whoever said that this trade deadline was the worst ever well you spoke too soon.

if dreifort's arm falls off due to overuse, you're fucked. im guessing this was all designed to get randy, did he turn down a deal??

Interesting to here what the Boston papers make of this...I guess the writing was on the wall, but it's a shame to lose a marquee player like Nomar. I guess he would've been gone in the off-season, anyhow, with all the shit that went on. Don't think much of the Twins 1B, but Cabrera could bounce back.

As for the Yanks...Getting Loiza is pretty much a non-factor. They have more pitching holes.

Delgado refused trades to the Dodgers and White Sox. I can understand the Sox cuz they are out but the Dodgers have a shot. He wants to spend time in Canada w/ his family.

Yep. LoDuca is twice the leader Piazza was too. He was a Scioscia type the kind of guy that stats don't do justice. Simply a terrific passionate catcher that is gonna really pay off for the fins. Losing LoDuca really hurts then you throw Mota on top and it stings even worse. Penny better be worth it. The Dbacks trade sucks too. Finley is solid but he isn't staying. Choi will enjoy playing in LA and for sure could breakout but I don't see it he has gotten cold lately after a hot start. Oh and the Dodgers traded away Roberts to the BoSox for a minor leaguer. Top defensive stolen base guy for what? Better be special. These trades could cost the GM his job.

Well he doesn't have to hear God Bless America in Canada and he's never won or contended for anything. Why drive when one can be driven?

Wow. After the trading was pretty slow, it took off like nothing else, eh? Sorry, this nonsense with the Sox happened in the last few hours while I was watching a movie with my wife. I figured after the 4:00 PM deadline, nothing was going to happen. D'oh.

Man, what to make of this. Honestly, I didn't see this one coming at all. I figured they'd ride it out and take their chances in the off-season, but apparently they knew he wouldn't resign. As for what the Sox got in return? Well, I was hoping the Lowe/Clement part of the deal would go down as well, but hopefully Cabrera will pick it up offensively. If he does, we did OK I suppose.

Still, we just traded away Nomar. Wow.

So, is he a rental? Some reports have him going to NY next year (possibly)...I bet he resigns with the Cubs.

i think the cubs have a great chance to sign nomar. i hope he wants to go home and play for the dodgers.

You never know.. Podesta is sweating as we speak though.

No, Randy actually accepted the Dodgers as a location. And then the teams couldn't come to terms. The D-Backs didn't get Werth in the Finley trade so it doesn't look as good as before, but they did get Hill which isn't bad. I can't imagine that Werth/Edgar Gonzalez/Penny would have been disagreeable to either team, but apparently something held the whole deal up.

Anyone else think Peter Gammons should be fired for know absolutly nothing about trades? When has the guy been right?

Sure as long as all the other people who said Randy was going to the yanks and all the other lame speculation gets stuffed in the process. No one knew how it would turn out and thats exactly what the GM's wanted.

Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano? Victor eff'n Zambrano? Jim Duquette and Rick Peterson better know what the hell they're doing.

I kind of understood the Kris Benson deal, they needed to be perceived as competitive in order to keep their fans through September, and they only ended up dealing moderately rated prospects for the guy--though I still think adding Justin Huber to the deal was a bit much.

But Scott Kazmir? Even if they're really down on the guy (hard to imagine them being down on a lefty that throws 97 with the numbers he's been putting up), he's got to be worth more than Victor Zambrano.

But I've got to stay positive, because if I think otherwise, there's simply no hope for the franchise. Every prospect they've dealt had holes, Scott Kazmir is too small for a power pitcher, Matt Peterson doesn't project very far and has had to deal with control issues all season, Justin Huber's defense at catcher has been questioned numerous times (a position change from catcher to say first base reduces his value tremendously), and Ty Wigginton is a butcher with the glove with no plate discipline or position on this team.

Here's to hoping the Mets know what they're doing (man, I can't even say that with a straight face).


Oh, and just so I can understand what's going on here... when did Paul Lo Duca turn into Barry Bonds? I'm not saying he's mediocre or anything, it's just that... well... ESPN has been treating him as if he's the entire franchise all by himself. What surpises me about the deal is Mota. If Guillermo can turn in the sort of effort he's been putting up for the Dodgers in recent years down the stretch for the Marlins, the Fish will have finally shored up their biggest hole.

And how about those Phillies, if the Mets could actually win some damn games they might be able to slip into third just yet.

I was reading up on some of the deals and from what I gathered Kazmir was a guy the Mets shouldn't have parted with. He was a lefty on top of it and well no one should deal a young lefty with potential. Seems pretty bleak for the Mets right now.

As for LoDuca he has gotten bigger but not Bonds like at all. I've watched him for some time and if the guy was roiding up I sure as hell can't see it. Dodgers took huge risks giving away a great plate captain like LoDuca and a rock solid bullpen guy in Mota. Supposedly the Dodgers have a few tricks up their sleeves for the bullpen and Penny is supposedly the prize. I don't know just doesn't seem like a good deal to me. Of course if they continue to win and do major damage in the playoffs well Podesta will be hailed as a genius.

The Phils are joke. That ace pitching staff has been underachieving left and right and the hitting can only take them so far. Expect lots of movement from them in the offseason.

Whoa... didn't mean the roid bit, I meant that they treated LoDuca moving as if he were some sort of perrenial MVP candidate. The Dodgers needed a frontline starter, and if Brad Penny can fill that role for them, losing a 32 year old catcher wont be the end of the world.

Oh my bad well the guy was a good hitter and a two time all-star who frankly like Nomar (only totally clean) was loyal and a fan favorite. A real guy to root for. If Piazza hadn't been dealt years ago (another all-star catcher) I doubt there would have been as big a fuss. LoDuca is great but is no Piazza on offense and yeah they needed a No.1. Time will tell who got the better end.