MLB Trade Deadline Winners and Losers

A note on methodology: I'll be using all the sabermetric tools at my disposal, but I won't be looking at salaries or money.

Remember that trades are often beneficial to both teams involved. In a voluntary exchange, each party has to feel right about pulling the trigger.

Even with finances out of the picture, then, it shouldn't be surprising that many of these deal come out as a wash.

1. Eric Gagne (RHRP) from the Rangers to the Red Sox for Kason Gabbard (LHSP), David Murphy (OF-AAA), and Engel Beltre (OF-R)

Boston was looking for another strong bullpen arm, and Eric Gagne might just be their man.

However, I think Gagne is a potential lemon.

Gagne's xFIP is 4.13, and he has been giving up an above-average number of line drives...which tells me hitters are putting good wood on the ball. He's still an above-average pitcher, though, and this was the right move for Boston.

I don't see Kason Gabbard amounting to much of anything. The left-handed starter is 5-3 with a 3.73 ERA in the Majors, but his record in the Minors was 32-36 with a 4.07 ERA.

That said, Gabbard at 25 still has a few years of upside in him, and lefties can always make a living out of the bullpen.

Murphy is nothing special, but Beltre caught my eye. He's a 17-year-old Dominican power hitter with a lot of potential.

In the end, Boston gets a reliable if overrated arm and the Rangers get two prospects and a roster-filler a winner for both sides.

2. Wilson Betemit (3B) from the Dodgers to the Yankees for Scott Proctor (RHRP)

Scott Proctor is nothing special; he's a reliable inning-eater, but he's overrated.

Proctor is past thirty, and it looks to me like his abilities are already eroding. He's giving up more walks and more home runs and is getting fewer strikeouts per nine innings this season than he was a year ago...or at any other time in his Major League career.

Betemit has a low batting average but good power numbers and a serviceable 116 OPS+. He'll work well for the Yankees in a backup role.

This trade was close to a wash, but the Yankees got the better of it.

3. Mark Teixeira (1B) and Ron Mahay (LHRP) from the Rangers to the Braves for Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C), Elvis Andrus (SS-A), Matt Harrison (LHP-AA), Neftali Feliz (RHP-R), and Beau Jones (LHP-A)

The Braves are in the middle of the NL Wild Card race with a half-dozen other teams. Picking up Teixeira and Mahay will help, but the price tag seems a little high to me.

At 22, Saltalamacchia is one of the premier young players in baseball, and the Rangers will benefit greatly if they can keep him.

Of the prospects surrendered by Atlanta, only Elvis Andrus failed to impress me. The Braves obviously mean business this year, and they sacrificed a good chunk of their future—to the delight of Texas fans.

Advantage Rangers...but the Braves have at least made themselves a formidable force in the 2007 playoff race.

4. Matt Morris (RHSP) from the Giants to the Pirates for Rajai Davis (OF)

Advantage Giants.

I think Davis is going to grow into a star outfielder. Morris is a competent starter with a few solid years ahead of him, but the Pirates have the wrong strategy if they think rebuilding means picking up pitchers in their 30s. You're almost always better off developing young arms than chasing veterans.

5. Will Ledezma (LHP) and Will Startup (LHP-AAA) from the Braves to the Padres for Royce Ring (LHRP)

Not sure what the Braves were thinking here.

The Padres get Ledezma, who's better than his high ERA, and Startup, a lefty with big league talent. Ring isn't a bad player, but he isn't worth Will Startup.

Padres win...and the Braves prove once again that their entire farm system is open for looting.

6. Morgan Ensberg (3B) from the Astros to the Padres for a player to be named later

Ensberg was put on waivers, so it didn't really matter what the Astros got for him. The third baseman is actually a decent hitter despite his low batting average—he has good SLG and OBP numbers, and could be an impact player for the Padres.

7. Rob Mackowiak (OF) from the White Sox to the Padres for Jon Link (RHP-A)

Mackowiak is another potential impact player for the Padres. Chicago was clearly in selling mode, and San Diego made a good buy.

Jon Link is a legitimate prospect with a lot of strikeouts; so I think the White Sox made the right move, even though the Padres did themselves the bigger favor here.

8. Octavio Dotel (RHP) from the Royals to the Braves for Kyle Davies (RHP-AAA)

Either the Braves have the deepest farm system in the league or they decided to mortgage their future for a playoff run.

I think it's the latter.

Davies is a solid pitcher who will likely end up in the Royals' starting rotation. Dotel is a capable but over-the-hill reliever. I like the fact that the Braves built a stronger team at the deadline, but they gave their draft scouts a lot of work to do in the next few years.

9. Luis Castillo (2B) from the Twins to the Mets for Dustin Martin (OF-A) and Drew Butera (C-AA)

The Mets think they're getting a great player to fill a hole. In reality, they were already doing fine filling the hole...and Castillo will provide less run production than the men he's replacing.

Still, it's not all bad for the Mets the Twins get basically nothing in return, so New York comes out the winner.

If nothing else, the deal will fuel conspiracy theories about Joe Mauer's pending move from behind the plate in Minnesota. The Twins just drafted a catcher, and already have four at or near the Major League level. Here's hoping Butera's arrival is a sign of things to come.

10. Kyle Lohse (RHSP) from the Reds to the Phillies for Matt Maloney (LHP-AA)

Lohse has a lot of talent but is quite inconsistent. A gamble for the Phillies.

11. Dan Wheeler (RHP) from the Astros to the Devil Rays for Ty Wigginton (3B)

Tampa Bay has nothing to lose; any trade they make is unlikely to make their team weaker. Then again, how much worse could the Astros get?

Wigginton is a decent run producer, but he's more of a rent-a-bat than a guy who can help rebuild a ball club. Put this in the "Huh? " category for now.

12. Grant Balfour (RHP) from the Brewers to the Devil Rays for Seth McClung (RHP-AAA)

Balfour works in Tampa Bay while McClung is a yawn. The Brewers are taking a chance on a pitcher with relatively unimpressive minor league numbers. Again, the Devil Rays have nowhere to go but up...but this is clearly a win for them.

12. Kenny Lofton (OF) from the Rangers to the Indians for Max Ramirez (C-A)

Cleveland fans are already happy with the deal, as Lofton has made the difference in a couple of recent games for the Indians. Clearly Lofton was worth a High-A catcher, even a High-A catcher with a .900 OPS.

13. Scott Linebrink (RHP) from the Padres to the Brewers for Will Inman (RHP-AA), Joe Thatcher (LHP-AAA), and Steve Garrison (LHP-A)

Linebrink is a lemon that will turn sour for the Brewers. The Padres got a lot of arms for him, always a good call.