Astros save trade deadline from being dud
Well, what do you know, finally a front office that’s not petrified to trade prospects.
Finally, an owner that about spending money.
Suddenly, an organization that prefers World Series parades over minor-league awards.
Take a bow, Houston Astros. We’ll see you in the World Series. In what was emerging as the dullest and most pathetic trade deadlines in ages, the Astros stepped up and seized the moment, grabbing Zack Greinke from the Arizona Diamondbacks, giving up four prospects and paying $53 million of the remaining $77 million still owed to Greinke.
It was an absolute stunner. Greinke, despite being one of the finest pitchers in the game, was considered almost untradeable because of his contract. Why, half of the teams in baseball was on his no-trade list, but the Astros weren’t one of them.
The Astros gave up their No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 prospects in first baseman/outfielder Seth Beer, pitchers J.B. Bukauskas and Corbin Martin, respectively, and infielder/outfielder Joshua Rojas, but still managed to keep their top three prospects.
The trade, which came together just minutes before the 4 p.m. ET deadline, rescued the day.
Why, until the Astros stepped up, while also grabbing Aaron Sanchez of the Toronto Blue Jays, Tanner Roark of the Cincinnati Reds was the best starting pitcher traded to the Oakland A’s.
Shane Greene of the Detroit isn’t worried Tigers was the best reliever traded to the Atlanta Braves.
Corey Dickerson of the Pittsburgh Pirates was the best position player traded to the Philadelphia Phillies.
It was that pathetic of a deadline up until 4 p.m. ET.
Then, in the next 10 minutes, once the Commissioner’s office cleared the salary exchanges, we finally had action:
The Chicago Cubs, trying to pull away from the pack in the NL Central, grabbed power-hitter Nick Castellanos of the Detroit Tigers.
The Minnesota Twins, trying to stave off the Cleveland Indians, grabbed reliever Sam Dyson of the San Francisco Giants.
And the Giants, wanting to make sure that manager Bruce Bochy would have a nice last run by keeping ace Madison Bumgarner and closer Will Smith, grabbed second baseman Scooter Gennett of the Reds.
Still, even with the late trade activity, it was a rather perplexing day.
The New York Yankees, the and baddest baseball franchise richest in the world, who desperately needs starting pitching more than any contender in the land, stayed pat.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, who played in the World Series a year ago and each had a massive void in their bullpen, came away empty-handed. Well, technically, the Dodgers got lefty Adam Kolarek from the Tampa Bay Rays, but the Red Sox did absolutely nothing.
The Minnesota Twins, who watched the Cleveland Indians overhaul their offense with their three-way Trevor Bauer trade Tuesday, still chose to hang onto their finest prospects instead of worrying about a division title.
The Washington Nationals, who badly needed relief help, picked up three relievers, but none of the prized ones on the market. They grabbed veteran Daniel Hudson from the Toronto Blue Jays, and Roenis Elias and Hunter Strickland from the Seattle Mariners. They’ve got depth, but little substance, none that cost them anything more than fringe prospects.
The Braves improved their bullpen the most with Greene (22 saves, 1.18 ERA) and Mark Melancon, grabbing two lateinning relievers on the same day they blew a two-run lead to the Washington Nationals. The Braves, already in first place in the NL East, were able to maintain their distance by one simple move.
And with the Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers all fighting for their lives in the NL Central title, separated by just two games, who knew that the biggest pitching move by the trio was the Brewers’ acquisition of Drew Pomeranz (2-9 with a 5.68 ERA)?
General managers, at least most in this sabermetric baseball world, proved loud and clear Wednesday that they’d rather hang onto their prospects and play it safe rather than win a World Series championship.
“It was a joke, an absolute (expletive) joke,’’ said one high-ranking club executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of trade deadline. “They paralyzed the industry. They’re so afraid of giving up a prospect that they don’t understand that what you give up can help you win a World Series.
“It’s like they don’t care about winning.’’
Welcome to the 2019 Major League Baseball trade deadline.
There’s a problem when the two most aggressive teams at the deadline are each in fourth place with a .474 winning percentage, but it didn’t stop the New York Mets from grabbing Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays and the Reds from acquiring Trevor Bauer from Cleveland.
The only top prospect moved during the entire trade period before the Astros’ blockbuster was Reds outfielder Taylor Trammel, who went to the San Diego Padres in the three-way deal with Cleveland and Cincinnati. He was ranked 30th among the top prospects.
That was it.
No other top 50 prospect was traded.