Although a few big names changed teams on Tuesday’s trade deadline, the wire was mostly slow on a usually eventful day. In most seasons, big names are made and pretenders become contenders after the deadline. This year, however, was far from a trade frenzy. Some big moves were made, but not enough to excite fans across the nation.
The biggest move of the day came from the Boston Red Sox. Although their bullpen already features the devastating Jonathon Papelbon and fellow All-Star Hideki Okajima, Theo Epstein had no qualms to dealing for former Cy Young closer Eric Gagne. Gagne took convincing to waive his no-trade clause, but in the end found himself opting for contention over living preference.
Another clear winner from trades were the Atlanta Braves. Stuck in the middle of their division, the Braves dealt for a big-time hitter and a lock-down relief pitcher within forty-eight hours of the deadline. The deal for Mark Teixeira, while costly in the long-term, should bolster a weak offense. Teixeira reportedly turned down a 140 million dollar extension from the Rangers, effectively forcing the team to part ways with one of baseball’s brightest young stars. The Braves didn’t rest on their laurels with their new first base men, however. Octavio Dotel, formerly of the Kansas City Royals, is another new Brave who should help their playoff chances.
In an interesting note, the New York Yankees made a small deal by getting Wilson Betemit. Although Betemit is unlikely to be much other than a backup for the Yankees short-term, his playing position and age suggest that the team is creating a backup plan if A-Rod decides to leave. Wilson is not nearly the player Alex is, but he could be an everyday player next season if circumstances dictate it.
The Chicago White Sox, long out of the playoff picture in the American League, stood pat with their team. This refusal to deal came due to a high asking price for their marquee players such as Jermaine Dye. Their unwillingness to back down from unreasonable demands make them one of the bigger losers of the trade deadline. An aging team like the White Sox should look to get the most out of their talent while their values are still high. One also has to wonder why the Cincinnati Reds are hanging onto Adam Dunn, even when it becomes more and more clear that he needs to be moved.
Outside of Atlanta, however, there really weren’t many teams that significantly improved. Boston’s relief pitching was never a big concern for them. Adding Gagne was a nice move, but certainly not a necessary one. And the small moves made by the Yankees, Padres, and others will not affect the playoff picture by much.
So unfortunately, the biggest losers of the trade deadline were the fans. Casual baseball viewers only want to see major stories and big-time players switching teams. They want to see teams vastly improve and new storylines for the stretch run be created. That didn’t happen this deadline
One person has commented on this article.  1. No moves for the TigersMotownWebGuy, UnregisteredI'm still a little surprised that the Tigers didn't make any moves, but there is still the possibility they do something before the waiver deadline date. |
