It is getting to be that time of year when teams that are calling it quits start dumping players while teams in contention (and with $$$) start acquiring them.

ESPN.com is reporting the Mets have managed to unload Roberto Alomar on the White Sox. The Mets will eat the remainder of this year's contract according to Peter Gammons. Alomar, who was having a Hall of Fame type career before going to New York, has been a bust with the Mets.

There will undoubtedly be lots more deals to come. Here's ESPN.com's breakdown of AL Buyers & Sellers and NL Buyers & Sellers.

[ July 01, 2003, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: George_vikingfan ]

We'll soon know if Alomar was in a funk due to New York, or if his skills really have eroded. A la the Marx Brothers, it's worth it for the Mets to pay Robbie $4 million not to play for them. frown

[ July 01, 2003, 01:13 PM: Message edited by: Bill W ]

All I have to say is, where, oh, where is Mike Lowell?

Lowell's with the Marlins, and he's not leaving.

Marlins say they won't trade Lowell

The White Sox trade 3 more prospects to Texas for Carl Everett. Are they really a serious contender or are they bankrupting their future?

Why not both? They're serious contenders (well, if they crack .500) until the time when (or if) the Twins get their collective act together.

I like the Robbie Alomar acquisition, even though he's declining, because it's always good to have a functioning future Hall of Famer in your infield. And Alomar deserved better than playing for the Mets, even if he's now only shilling for Jerry Reinsdorf. As for Carl Everett: if he's the answer, lordy lordy I fear what that question could be.

Well, I guess we can kiss the division good-bye then.

But you agree it'd be foolish of Florida to salary-dump an All-Star by shuttling him to a team that's a HALF-GAME in front of them in the wild-card standings? Unless the Marlins should just defer to the Cubs' richer tradition. It would invite ugly comparisons to the Chisox mid-season "white-flag" moves of a couple years ago...

Actually, I think the bigger threat to the Cubs' chances comes from the fact that Dusty Baker is going to cause the pitching arms of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood to fall off from the way he is over-using both of them the first half of this season. One, or both, should be on the DL before this season is over.

If either miraculously survive Dusty's 2003 mismanagement, then look for 2004 to be lost seasons (see also Burnett, A.J., Florida Marlins, Torborg).

ESPN.com is reporting that the Mets have sent Jeromy Burnitz to the Dodgers. The Mets will get 3 minor leaguers in exchange.

Dear God! eek! The Dodgers have brought on Ricky Henderson????? Are they this desperate for offense that they'll take a 44 year old malcontent?

The Dodgers are officially TOAST.

Hey AUTiger, I sincerely hope you're right about the Dodgers. You're more than welcome to join the bandwagon for the NLWest leading Giants.

Charlie, I think Mark Prior being a crap baserunner and a) knocking Marcus Giles silly and landing on his right shoulder in the subsequent tumble might end Prior's season/put him on the DL before Dusty Baker does. Curse of the Cubs again?

And the hapless Dodgers had to do SOMETHING. Their offense, for the most part, has been abysmal. Hopefully, being near home will help Burnitz--he can't be any worse than he was in the black hole called Shea Stadium--and really, Henderson is just as good, if not better, than anyone the Dodgers have leading off now. And at least Dan Evans will get the LA Times sportswriters off his back for a while for "not doing anything". I still hope the Dodgers finish 27 games out of the playoffs though....

I think the Angels aren't going to make any moves, they just needed their current roster to play better and they've done that. They could use a starting pitcher, maybe they can rent one in September.

Burnitz is a good pick up. He's actually having a great season for him and only an injury which kept him out for quite a few games kept him from being a legitimate All Star (as opposed to the "we have to take somebody" choice of Benitez). Hopefully the Mets will be able to get some good prospects for Benitez, too. He's blown a high percentage of what would be termed "important" or high pressure saves in his Mets career- I hope there is a soft landing spot oustide your window for you or your TV if your team is 'lucky' enough to get him! And just think- he's only 30 and could be around for years to come!

Good points overall RE: Benitez, WChip....However, I was absolutely SHOCKED that he was named to the All-Star team this year -- yeah, I know, they had to take ONE Met player but wasn't Ty Wigginton (.267/6/41), Cliff Floyd (.272/15/47 even if he is injured) or Burnitz (.274/18/45 -- do you suppose they knew he was about to be dealt and told Dusty NOT to take him?) more deserving of All-Star recognition this season than the highly inconsistent Benitez?....he is the textbook example of the save being the most overrated statistic in all of sports....how many Mets fans do you think would trade Benitez' 21 saves this season for a consistent closer with better control (24 walks in 45 IP from your closer eek! )?

Armando has had fans (and GM's? :confused: ) enamored with his 100 MPH fastball since his days in Baltimore (do you think Tino Martinez has forgiven him yet for intentionally plunking him in the back with that heater at Yankee Stadium?) but when a batter catches up with his hard stuff Benitez is absolutely HORRID....I still haven't forgiven him for blowing two games in the '97 ALCS against the Indians that cost the O's a trip to the Series....in either event, you can bet that the AL All-Stars are eagerly anticipating facing A.B. with the game on the line in the late innings tonight -- can you say World Series home field for the A.L.?

[ July 15, 2003, 08:19 AM: Message edited by: gamecock ]

Malcontent, my butt. Rickey will come close to leading LA in on-base pct. as a part-timer.

Burnitz had quite a nice 2003 in the "black hole" (ie, bad lighting) of Shea. Still not enough offense to lift the Dodgers to the wild card.

I'd bet Dusty will not use Benitez in a close game. Look for Gagne, Wagner, Smoltz (per Gammons on ESPN).

Jesus, Mary, and all the saints in heaven, today's NY Times is reporting that the Mets and Yankees have agreed in principle to a trade of Armando Benitez for Jason Anderson and a couple of prospects. Please let this NOT be true. I think Benitez can be moderately successful in the big leagues just because of his pure heat, but I think it's obvious that he will just never be successful in New York. As much pressure as he was under at Shea, it would be even worse at Yankee Stadium with more media, more fans, and a demanding owner. I'm really hoping against hope the Good Guys come to their senses and don't give final approval to this trade.

[ July 16, 2003, 06:58 AM: Message edited by: Munson Man ]

Yeah its hard to imagine that somebody who couldn't handle the pressure of playing for the Mets will be able to handle it for the much-more-closely scrutinized Yankees.

Also wasn't he involved in one of the more famous beaning incidents against the Yankees several years ago while with the Orioles? Or am I confusing him with someone else?

Right you are, GVF. In 1998 Benitez was pitching for the Orioles at Yankee Stadium and gave up an eighth inning, three-run homerun to Bernie Williams that erased a 5-4 Oriole lead. The next batter was Tino Martinez, and Benitez fired his first pitch, a 98 mph fastball into Tino's back. It triggered the most brutal brawl I've ever seen, with new fights breaking out on the field every time it seemed order had been restored. Early on, Darrell Strawberry chased Benitez and landed a haymaker punch to his head, and several Yankees went into the Oriole dugout and attempted to follow Benitez into the clubhouse. There were a bunch of suspensions after the fact, with Benitez getting the worst punishment - an eight game suspension.

BTW, after order was finally restored, Tim Raines hit the next pitch for another Yankee homerun.

Oh, the Yankees love to acquire hard throwers they've feuded with -- Torre and Jeter used to hate Clemens.

Show me one scintilla of evidence that Benitez's meltdown games have *anything* to do with "the pressure of New York." You guys listen to sportscasters (or David Wells) too much. Benitez is just a flaky pitcher with minimal control, who is going to lose the plate completely in 10-25% of his appearances. Sometimes in nationally televised games, sometimes not.

That said, I sure hope he's responsible for the Yankees' elimination loss this fall. Especially after Armando's classy (final?) quote last week, "The fans don't pay me."

The Twins and Blue Jays have made a deal. Minnesota gets OF Shannon Stewart in exchange for OF/DH Bobby Kielty.

Stewart should thrive in the Metrodome. Kielty has struggled after showing a bit of promise last year. But it seems its the pitching the Twins really need help with.

Big sigh of relief- Armando is gone! He may work out as a Yankee set up man, but I'm glad he's not on the Mets no matter. His control has been off this year and he's always been iffy in the big games.

The Phillies got Mike Williams from the Pirates to add a veteran arm to the bullpen. Williams is the guy who was named to the All-Star team despite his over-6.00 ERA. Last year he had 46 saves and his ERA was under 3. The Phils will deny it but it gives them an option if Jose Mesa blows too many saves.

The Phils only gave up a AA pitcher who isn't a prospect, and the Phils are even getting some cash in the deal.

Aren't there other teams who need bullpen help and might have offered a little more?

The Kielty-Stewart trade seems to be working well off the get go. Stewart went 4-4 the other day for the Twins and Kielty has hit at a .429 clip over his first 4 games as a Jay, making a spectacular catch on a would-be Trot Nixon home run on Sunday. The Jays now find themselves with 4 solid outfielders in Vernon Wells (.300), Frank Catalanotto (.297), Reed Johnson (.307) and now Kielty.

But what the Jays need is pitching.

well the Jose hernandez experiment is over in Chicago as the Cubs got Kenny Lofton, Aramis Ramirez from the Pirates for Hernandez and 2 other players.

Lofton is a good pick up. I mean, hasn't missed the post season since circa 1957. I know he's not that old, but it seems like he's been around forever, no? Ramirez has the potential to be a really good player and has had some moments with Pirates. Let's see how he plays when he's trying to help a team make the playoffs. A good deal for the Cubbies though.

[ July 23, 2003, 07:02 AM: Message edited by: George_vikingfan ]

Here's hoping the Pirates' fire sale continues. Hot rumor out here has Brian Giles (Pirate booty in more ways than one) coming to Oakland. If Billy "the other Billy Beane" Beane can pull that off in spite of everybody being pissed off by his book...

Pittsburgh Pirate management is a disgrace and their franchise should be revoked. You don't dump salary within your own division. If you need to unload players because they make too much -- or, the current worry -- they are projected to make too much at some distant point in the future (a la Carlos Beltran in K.C., or Aramis Ramirez in the 'burgh): try to send them out of your league, if you can.

Instead, Pittsburgh's GM just hands two players over to the Cubs for squat. Granted, Lofton was a one-year rental and of no further value to a team not competing for a playoff spot, but Ramirez is young and still improving.

At least when Littlefield turns Brian Giles over to Oakland, it'll be out of the league. And Pittsburgh'll get some minor leaguer that Billy Beane's team of sabermatricians has determined to be "tits on a bore" useless, projected to have a career hitting .245 in AAA ball. Or maybe a young pitcher who's projected to average 11 walks and 2 HRs per start.

Good news for all sports fans in Pittsburgh though: Steeler training camp has opened for business.

I don't see why this should even be an "unwritten rule."


1) Why object to a rival taking on "salary"? Unless you equate it with talent (and I know you don't, CITT).

2) Dealing useful regulars to a divisional rival *you're trying to overtake* would be a no-no, but the Bucs aren't going anywhere this season (and I don't expect the Cubs can overtake Houston either).

Isn't the Millwood-to-Phils intradivision trade/dump working out for Atlanta?

You're right. I don't. But I do equate Aramis Ramirez with talent.

Lofton is irrelevant. If I'm a Pirates fan, I'm really indifferent where they send him. But unloading Ramirez will haunt the Pirates for years to come.

Well, Atlanta is ahead of the Phillies in the standings, but is there any chance that the Phillies would be better without Millwood? Or the Braves would be worse with him in the rotation?

I guess you could say it works out for Atlanta if they (1) win the division comfortably over the Phillies, which is just about a lock right now, and (2) the Phillies beat out the D-Backs for the wild card, since it might be more difficult to advance to the World Series against the playoff experienced D-Backs. Bottom line: while the intra-divisional salary dump of Millwood to Philadelphia has not yet hads any negative repercussions, that's different from saying that it worked out.

As a learned sabermetrician like you understands, baseball is a game of percentages. Atlanta made a low-percentage move in dumping Millwood within the division. While they're not suffering the consequences of it, it was still a low-percentage move. Like bunting with your clean-up hitter. Yeah, maybe the third baseman will throw the ball into right field, but even if the play works out OK, it still wasn't the right thing to do.

"Haunted for years to come" by Ramirez? I don't get it, he doesn't appear to be the second coming of Mike Schmidt... I see a player with a lowly .311 lifetime on-base pct (.326 this year) with 20-HR power. Looks like a prime candidate to be overpaid very soon.

The way to evaluate trades in contemporary baseball is what the club uses with the PAYROLL SAVED by trading established (and overvalued) "stars"... if they get better by acquiring more cost-effective players.

Peter Gammons claimed the other night on ESPN that the last team to take such heat for "dumping" were the Padres in '93, and they were pennant winners within 5 years...

I've heard rumors that the Marlins are looking to trade for either Raul Mondesi of the Yankees or Rondell White of the Padres, but I haven't heard any thing about who they might have to give up in return. Any ideas, guys? :confused: And, no, it's not Mike Lowell or Pudge, so don't even mention them.

[ July 27, 2003, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: marlins97twins91 ]

Trading Deadline is coming up on Thursday and the M's have yet to make a deal. I will be very pissed if the M's stay put. They need to do something, an extra bat, maybe another pitcher, anything. Garcia has just tanked in July since his brilliant June but I'm not sure that the JD Drew rumor would solve all of the M's problems. It would help, but I want more. Unfortunately, I think the M's are stuck with Cirillo because who would take him and his freakin' .210 batting average. Two-Ten! That's just unacceptable for a guy making, what, 6.8 million a year? :mad:

If it makes you feel any better, Greg Vaughn was making $8.75M with a, like, .111 average while batting cleanup for Tampa Bay...

The Yankees and DBacks swapped underachieving outfielders. Yanks sent disgruntled Raul Mondesi to 'Zona for David Dellucci and 2 minor leaguers.

Yanks Dump Moan-desi

In what could be Billy Beane's "f**kin' A's!" summer trade, Oakland gets power-hitting OF Jose Guillen from Cincy for Aaron Harang, another pitcher and a minor leaguer.

With Rich Harden up for good in the rotation, looks like the AL West will have the wild card this year (and it might be Seattle).

Though it hasn't been officially announced, Peter Gammons is reporting that the Yankees will acquire Aaron Boone and Gabe White from the Reds. Details about what the Yanks will give up are sketchy, but the Yanks will obviously not give up to much. Gammons also says that the Yanks will probably send Robin Ventura to LA.

The Red Sox have traded for Pirates pitcher Jeff Suppan.

The Expos apparently will not trade Vlad Guerrero or Javier Vazquez.


UPDATED:

The Yankees have indeed acquired Boone for pitcher Brandon Claussen and cash. White hasn't been mentioned in this trade.

[ July 31, 2003, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: George_vikingfan ]

Wow, the Giants get Sidney Ponson from Baltimore for Damian Moss and Kurt Ainsworth. A playoff move, given their lead.

Not a trade per se, but the Angels cut Kevin Appier. As a result, they are willing to eat most of the $15.67 million they'll owe him. Add that to the $29.3 mil they still owe that Fat Tub of Goo Mo Vaughn, and that's almost $45 million in salary going to pay 2 huge busts. I wouldn't be surprised if Aron Sele got the boot next. A total stiff for the Angels, another free-agent disaster for them. The farm system, that's the way to go.

M's Ownership...Gillick :mad: :mad: :mad:

I know you love the A's trade for Jose Guillen, but this strikes me as the only trading deadline trade that will have any real impact. Once again, Brian Sabean makes a little move that will have a big impact ... not on the pennant race because that's over in the NLWest ... but in the post-season.

Unless you consider the Aaron Boone trade, which I assume the Yankees made solely to block A-Boone from going to the Mariners. The Yanks certainly did not need another third baseman. The M's could have. A-Boone would've been a major upgrade from Jeff Cirillo and Willie Bloomquist. And the M's, to me, are the only obstacle separating the Yankees from a World Series appearance. (The A's, Red Sox and the default winner of the ALCentral, all will fold up before the Yanks in October if they get there.)

They don't call him "Stand Pat" for nothing.

[ July 31, 2003, 10:19 PM: Message edited by: Charlie in the Trees ]

I know what you mean, MDB and CITT. It seems like Gillick is doing all that he can to make sure the M's avoid the post-season AGAIN!! He let opportunities go by, when he could have strengthened the offense in a major way or maybe acquired another lefty in the bullpen. Instead, he gets a mediocre shortstop who probably won't make much of an impact, as far as hitting is concerned. The recent additions to the A's (a power-hitter, as well as a #4 pitcher who may be just as good as their Big 3)leave the Mariners in a position where they have to win most of their games, because I can just see a 15+ game winning streak about to happen for Oakland.

[ July 31, 2003, 11:15 PM: Message edited by: Mike T. ]

Don't panic so quickly. Teams have until the end of August to grab players off waivers and still have them qualify for the postseason.

Trading season, indeed.

Looks like the Cincinati Reds are this year's Montreal Expos. Why keep your better players when they can become stars elsewhere?

Billy Beane acquires OF Jose Guillen. Yes, he does have a .385 OBP, but he only took 17 walks in 315 ABs.

I, for one, am not convinced Boston's moves will put them over the top. The Red Sox, like the Cubs, will never go all the way. Why do they even try?

The Yankees already have the highest payroll by miles. Now they're paying other teams to take players off their hands (Raul Mondesi) and using cash to acquire players (Aaron Boone). How much will they have spent by the year's end? $200 million? More? I'm just waiting for the Yankees to acquire A-Rod's $252 million contract.

Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi: "It sounds like it's a repeat of the '50s where the Yankees used to go to the Kansas City A's and take their players and give them money so they could survive."

[ August 01, 2003, 05:31 AM: Message edited by: canmark ]

Actually, given Ventura's recent offensive nosedive and age (36), they did. LA's penchant for collecting aging '90s Mets (Rickey, Burnitz, sexy Robin) is not the best of signs.

But it doesn't matter *how* you get there when it approaches .400! One reason the A's are behind the M's is that they've been below average at getting on base by any means.

The thing about SF acquiring a starting pitcher for the playoffs is... you never know if he'll have a bad week. Tim Hudson's 2 bad starts vs the Twins last year derailed Oakland, and Ponson (he 14 wins with unusual run support from the O's) is no guaranteed co-ace come October.

One more reason baseball needs a salary cap and better revenue sharing. IMHO.

Yankees snagged Boone to block the M's & Boston (The 3-way involved Freddy Garcia going to Boston). I was listening to sports radio last night & I agree with the Gas man. I did not like the idea of trading Freddy to Boston. You may meet them in the playoffs and Freddie may get two starts against the club that traded him. I would have been much more comfortable if the third team was a NL team or a team not making the playoffs.

There's an article in the Seattle PI where the speculation is that the Reds didn't want to trade one on one with the M's due to the Bowden/Gillick riff. That's why Boston got involved. Word is that the M's & Yanks got into a bidding war regarding the cash part of the deal and it went up to $3 million. The commish stepped in and capped the $$ at 1.4 million. And the Yanks won out.

Reds Spite

I really hope the M's can find at least 2 players to clear waivers. One more left handed pitcher out of the bullpen, and that 3rd baseman.

[ August 01, 2003, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: Mariner Duck Boy ]

Though the playoffs are still far in the distance, with A-Boone now in NY, it could be interesting to see the Yankees and Mariners play for the AL championship--love the Cain & Abel storyline in any sport. Think the Ducks and Devils this past Stanley Cup Championship...

As for Robin Ventura coming to my Dodgers: ho hum! Another older player who seems to be in a downward spiral as his career comes to an end.

~Adam

In a tidbit in the Los Angeles Times today, the Angels GM, Bill Stoneman, laid out why he didn't make any moves: even though the Angels were only about 6 games out of the wild card at the All-Star break, every deal that was on the table involved one of the team's top 4 prospects, which The Times identified as: catcher Jeff Mathis (who's not gonna make it with Bengie Molina here); 3B Dallas McPherson (see: Troy Glaus); pitcher Ervin Santana and 1B Casey Kotchman. The first two could be moved to new positions but I'm actually happy that the Angels didn't panic because they have historically done what it seems the Dodgers are now doing, getting players on their way out to fill gaps in somewhat futile chases towards a pennant. The Angels core is, with 2 exceptions, under 30 and if the pitching staff had just played up to their potential, they'd be in better shape.

And I just. don't. get. why M's fans are hitting the panic button. They've got the 2nd best record in the AL and have been playing solidly for the entire season. Sure, left handed relievers are nice, as are good 3B's, but is there really any justification for the panic button being mashed to death, recent history notwithstanding? Just curious.

Was watching the sports highlights and... was that hunky Pat Borders, the former Blue Jays catcher and MVP of the '92 World Series, playing 3rd base for the Mariners?!

What is a 40 year old former catcher (who hasn't had 200 ABs a season since '96!) doing playing 3rd base?!! Now I see why you Ms fans are complaining about Pat Gillick...