The Best Trade In The History of Each MLB Team

With one of the most exciting times of the baseball season, the trading deadline, behind us, the contenders should begin to take shape within the next month as we move closer to October baseball.

With so much talk of trades the past several weeks, I decided to look back and name what I feel is the best trade, be it deadline, off-season, or otherwise, in the history of each MLB team.

Some decisions were certainly easier than others, with moves like the Lou Brock and Jeff Bagwell trades a no-brainer. However, for other team's it was much harder to settle on a best trade. And I will allow you to start thinking now, but a great Dodgers trade is nowhere to be found.

So with that, here are what I feel are the best trades in the history of each MLB team. I hope that this will spark some lively debate, and I encourage you to chime in with any great trade I may have excluded.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Curt Schilling Trade

Date: July 26, 2000
Diamondbacks Got: Curt Schilling
Phillies Got: Omar Daal, Travis Lee, Nelson Figueroa, Vicente Padilla

Jackpot. The Diamondbacks were an fledgling franchise in 2000, and with Randy Johnson heading their staff and a good group of veteran hitters, they were one big arm away from contention.

While this trade did not pay immediate dividends for the D'Backs, with Schilling going just 5-6 down the stretch in 2000 and the team finishing a distant third place in the NL West, the next season would be a different story.

The very next season, Schilling went 22-6, combining with Johnson to win 43 games as the team went 92-70, winning the NL West and eventually the World Series, with Schilling going 4-0 in six postseason starts.

He went 23-7 the following season before an injury-plagued 2003 held him to 8-9 and then he was off to Boston, but Schilling more than made his mark on the Diamondbacks, playing an integral role in taking home the team's first title.

Honorable Mention:
Karim Garcia to the Tigers for Luis Gonzalez

Atlanta Braves: John Smoltz Trade

Date: Aug. 12, 1987
Braves Got: John Smoltz
Tigers Got: Doyle Alexander

Before I go off praising the career of John Smoltz, it needs to be said that this trade did not always look so one-sided.

Alexander went 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA in 11 starts with the Tigers, and then made the All-Star team the following season.

However, he was out of baseball at the age of 38 following a disastrous 6-18 season in 1989.

Smoltz, on the other hand, teamed with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine to form baseball's most impressive rotation. Smoltz won 210 games as a member of the Braves, and went 15-4 in the postseason. He also saved 154 games in his time as the team's closer.

Overall during his 20 seasons in Atlanta, Smoltz was an eight-time All-Star, and he took home the 1996 NL Cy Young when he went 24-8, 2.94 ERA, 276 Ks in what was his best season.

Honorable Mention:
Mel Nieves, Donnie Elliot, and Vince Moore to the Padres for Fred McGriff

Baltimore Orioles: Frank Robinson Trade

Date: Dec. 9, 1965
Orioles Got: Frank Robinson
Reds Got: Milt Pappas, Jack Baldschun, Dick Simpson

Prior to the 1966 season, Reds owner Bill DeWitt made the decision to part with his 30-year old superstar Frank Robinson in an effort to bolster his pitching staff, picking up Orioles ace Milt Pappas in the deal.

The trade was met with immediate outrage from the Reds fan base, and in an attempt to justify the move, DeWitt said that Robinson was "an old 30."

Robinson immediately made DeWitt eat his words, as he took home the AL Triple Crown with a line of .316 BA, 49 HR, 122 RBI. He went on to play six seasons with the Orioles, hitting .300 BA, 179 HR, 545 RBI over that span.

Not bad for someone who was "an old 30."

Boston Red Sox: Jimmie Foxx Trade

Date: Dec. 10, 1935
Red Sox Got: Jimmie Foxx, Johnny Marcum
Athletics Got: Gordan Rhodes, George Savino, $150,000

One of the greatest sluggers in baseball history, Foxx joined the Red Sox at the age of 28 after 11 stellar seasons with the Athletics in which he won two MVP Awards and three home run crowns, among other impressive accolades.

The $150,000 the Athletics received in the trade helped owner Connie Mack pay the salary of some of his other highly paid stars at the height of the Great Depression.

Foxx didn't lose a step with the team switch, with six more top-tier seasons as a member of the Red Sox, compiling a line of .320 BA, 222 HR, 788 RBI in his time in Boston.

He also took home his third MVP Award in 1938, when he posted a monster line of .349 BA, 50 HR, 175 RBI.

Honorable Mention:
Carl Pavano, Tony Armas to the Expos for Pedro Martinez
Heathcliff Slocumb to the Mariners for Derek Lowe, Jason Varitek

Chicago Cubs: Ryne Sandberg Trade

Date: Jan. 27, 1982
Cubs Got: Ryne Sandberg, Larry Bowa
Phillies Got: Ivan de Jesus

The Cubs have had their fair share of lopsided trades, both good and bad, but the deal to acquire Sandberg rates as the best in team history.

A 10-time All-Star and a nine-time Gold Glove winner to boot, Sandberg is one of the best second basemen in baseball history and he was among the first true offensive second baseman, without sacrificing anything in the way of defense.

He was the NL MVP in 1984, when he helped lead the Cubs to a rare postseason berth with a line of .319 BA, 19 HR, 84 RBI, 32 SB as well as a league-best 19 triples.

Honorable Mention:
-George Bell to the White Sox for Sammy Sosa
-Jose Hernandez, Bobby Hill, Matt Bruback to the Pirates for Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton
-Hee Seop Choi to the Marlins for Derrek Lee

Chicago White Sox: Billy Pierce Trade

Date: Nov. 10, 1948
White Sox Got: Billy Pierce, $10,000
Tigers Got: Aaron Robinson

A little background on Aaron Robinson before we start. He didn't start his career until the age of 28, and he finished it up three years after the trade with a career line of .260 BA, 61 HR, 272 RBI

Pierce, 22 at the time of the trade, went on to pitch 13 seasons with the White Sox, winning 186 games over that span and being named to seven All-Star teams in the process.

He won at least 14 games 10 times, and he won one wins title, one ERA title, one strikeout title, and led the league in CGs three times. Overall, a pretty solid career in exchange for an aging catcher and some cash.

Honorable Mention:
Minnie Minoso from the Indians in a three-team deal

Cincinnati Reds: Joe Morgan Trade

Date: Nov. 29, 1971
Reds Got: Joe Morgan, Cesar Geronimo, Jack Billingham, Ed Armbrister, Denis Menke
Astros Got: Lee May, Tommy Helms, Jimmy Stewart

An All-Star in all eight of his seasons in Cincinnati, Morgan was the catalyst for the Big Red Machine, establishing himself as one of the best second basemen of all time in the process.

Aside from the Midsummer Classic trips, Morgan also took home back-to-back NL MVP Awards in 1975 and 1976 as he was rewarded for his crucial role in the Reds' success.

The other big name in this deal, Lee May, spent just three seasons in Houston, averaging a solid line of .274 BA, 27 HR, 96 RBI. However, he was then dealt for a pair of scrubs in 1974 and went on to more success with the Royals.

Honorable Mention:
Frank Duff and Vern Geishert to the Giants for George Foster (also in '71)

Cleveland Indians: Early Wynn Trade

Date: Dec. 14, 1948
Indians Got: Early Wynn, Mickey Vernon
Senators Got: Joe Haynes, Ed Klieman, Eddie Robinson

After eight up-and-down seasons with the Senators that included an 18-win season as well as a 17-loss season, Wynn was dealt to the Indians.

After a decent 11-7 first season in Cleveland, Wynn rattled off seven straight seasons with at least 17 wins, including topping the 20-win plateau four times.

In all, Wynn compiled a recorded 163 wins with the Indians before being traded to the White Sox. However, he did re-join the Tribe in 1963 at the age of 43, winning one game to give him exactly 300 for his career.

Honorable Mention:
-Bartolo Colon, Tim Drew to the Expos for Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, Lee Stevens
-Reggie Jefferson, Felix Fermin, and cash to the Mariners for Omar Vizquel

Colorado Rockies: Dante Bichette Trade

Date: Nov. 17, 1992
Rockies Got: Dante Bichette
Brewers Got: Kevin Reimer

Bichette, 29 at the time of the trade, had shown flashes of with a pair of 15 HR seasons with the Angels and Brewers, but his career took off once he got to Colorado.

Credit it to the Coors Field effect all you want, Bichette was one of the most productive hitters in the game in his seven seasons with the Rockies, compiling a line of .316 BA, 201 HR, 826 RBI and throwing in 105 steals for good measure.

Reimer went on to play one more season before retiring at the ripe old age of 29. Score that one, Rockies 1, Brewers 0.

Detroit Tigers: Norm Cash Trade

Date: April 12, 1960
Tigers Got: Norm Cash
Indians Got: Steve Demeter

Cash was one of the most productive sluggers of the 1960s, hitting 278 for the decade, which was good for seventh in all of baseball during that span.

For Cash, his second season with the Tigers was his best, as he set career-highs across the board with a line of .361 BA, 41 HR, 132 RBI. That season he won the batting title and led the AL with 198 hits.

In all, Cash topped the 20 HR mark an impressive 11 times on his way to a career line of .272 BA, 373 HR, 1087 RBI in 15 seasons with the Tigers.

For the record, Demeter went on to play a whopping four games for the Indians during the 1960 season, going 0-for-5 at the plate before disappearing into the baseball sunset, never to be heard from again.

Florida Marlins: Mike Lowell Trade

Date: Feb. 1, 1999
Marlins Got: Mike Lowell
Yankees Got: Ed Yarnall, Mark Johnson, Todd Noel

One of the Yankees top prospects in 1998 and 1999, Lowell was eventually dealt to the Marlins for a package centered around Ed Yarnall, who the Yankees were very high on and intended to use in their rotation in 1999.

He was later packaged in the deal that brought Denny Neagle to the Yankees.

Lowell, on the other hand, established himself as a front line run producer, driving in at least 85 runs five times in his seven seasons with the Marlins.

He still holds a number of franchise records, as he was one of the best Marlins of all time.

Looking at the present, he was also part of the deal, along with Josh Beckett, that brought Hanley Ramirez to the Marlins from the Red Sox.

Honorable Mention:
Antonio Alfonseca and Matt Clement to the Cubs for Dontrelle Willis, Julian Tavares, Jose Cueto, Ryan Jorgensen

Houston Astros: Jeff Bagwell Trade

Date: Aug. 30, 1990
Astros Got: Jeff Bagwell
Red Sox Got: Larry Anderson

This was one of the easiest selections of all, and goes down as the most lopsided trade in trade-deadline history, if not baseball history.

After spending the remainder of the 1990 season in the minors, Bagwell won the first base job out of Spring Training in 1991, and went on to win the NL Rookie of the Year with a .294 BA, 15 HR, 82 RBI season.

That was only the beginning though, as Bagwell would become one of the most feared sluggers in baseball throughout the 1990s, making four All-Star appearances and winning the NL MVP in 1994.

Bagwell finished his big-league career with a Hall of Fame worthy line of .297 BA, 449 HR, 1529 RBI, 202 SB.

Anderson made 15 relief appearances with the Red Sox at the end of the 1990 season before leaving for San Diego in free agency the upcoming off-season.

Kansas City Royals: Jeff Montgomery Trade

Date: Feb. 15, 1988
Royals Got: Jeff Montgomery
Reds Got: Van Snider

Let me just preface this by saying, the Royals have not made very many good trades in their 42 years of existence.

That said, one they did get right was trading for Montgomery, who was a staple in the ninth inning role for them for 12 seasons, racking up 304 saves, which is good for 19th all-time.

He made three trips to the All-Star game, and he enjoyed his best season in 1993 when he took home the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award with 45 saves and a 2.27 ERA.

Honorable Mention:
Joe Foy to the Mets for Amos Otis and Bob Johnson

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Nolan Ryan Trade

Date: Dec. 10, 1971
Angels Got: Nolan Ryan, Frank Estrada, Don Rose, Leroy Stanton
Mets Got: Jim Fregosi

First five seasons of his career with the Mets; 29-38 with 493 Ks, first season with the Angels 19-16 with 329 Ks. Oops.

Ryan was a raw talent with the Mets, but he seemed to immediately put things together once he joined the Angels, winning at least 14 games six times including a pair of 20+ win seasons.

Not only that, but he became one of the most dominant arms in the majors, winning six strikeout titles in eight years and striking out over 300 hitters five times.

Fregosi spent just a season and a half with the Mets, hitting just .233 before his contract was sold to the Rangers.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Andre Ethier Trade

Date: Dec. 13, 2005
Dodgers Got: Andre Ethier
Athletics Got: Milton Bradley, Antonio Perez

For as long and storied a history as the Dodgers have had, a solid trade they have made is hard to come by, so we will go with a good one from recent memory.

I implore any and all Dodgers fans to help me improve this selection if there is a better option.

Ethier is one of baseball's emerging stars, and at 28 years old he should be entering his prime. He was an All-Star for the first time this season, but he broke out in a big way last season with a .272 BA, 31 HR, 106 RBI season.

Not only were his numbers good, but he established himself as one of the best clutch hitters in the game, with numerous walk-off hits.

Anytime you can trade a perennial "clubhouse cancer" for a young clutch power hitter, it is a bound to be a great move.

Milwaukee Brewers: Cecil Cooper Trade

Date: Dec. 6, 1976
Brewers Got: Cecil Cooper
Red Sox Got: George Scott, Bernie Carbo

Scott was a fairly big name when this trade was made, and while Cooper was a solid player during his time with the Red Sox, he was far from a star.

However, he took his game to the next level once he reached Milwaukee, as he hit .300 or better in each of his first seven seasons with the team.

He also became more of a run producer, as he drove in over 100 runs four different times and leading the league in that category twice.

Cooper, along with Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and a cast of others helped lead the Brewers to a World Series appearance in 1982.

Honorable Mention:
Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson to the Indians for C.C. Sabathia

Minnesota Twins: Johan Santana Trade

Date: Dec. 13, 1999
Twins Got: Johan Santana, cash
Marlins Got: Jared Camp

A shining example of why the Rule 5 Draft exists, Santana never got a chance in Houston and was taken by the Marlins in the December draft, who then turned around and traded Santana along with some cash for the legendary Jared Camp.

After spending his first three seasons in Minnesota primarily as a reliever, Santana broke out with a 12-3 record as a swingman in 2003 when he made 45 appearances, 18 of which were starts.

The next season, he was inserted in the rotation full-time and he responded with a 20-6, 2.61 ERA, 265 K season that saw him take home his first of two Cy Young Awards.

Santana quickly became one of the game's top pitchers, and he won 93 games in eight seasons with the Twins before he was traded to the Mets for a group of prospects.

Honorable Mention:
AJ Pierzynski to the Giants for Francisco Liriano, Joe Nathan, Boof Bonser

New York Mets: Keith Hernandez Trade

Date: June 15, 1983
Mets Got: Keith Hernandez
Cardinals Got: Neil Allen, Rick Ownbey

Despite being on the wrong side of 30 when the Mets acquired him, Hernandez immediately made the team better with his high average hitting and Gold Glove defense. He also brought some star power to New York's "other team."

He finished in the top eight in NL MVP voting in each of his first three seasons with the Mets as he averaged a .310 BA, 13 HR, 89 RBI line. He also won the Gold Glove in each of his first five seasons in NY.

He and Gary Carter were key cogs in the Mets World Series title team of 1986, as they were both wrapping up great careers. Both were gone by the 1989 season, but they did their part in bringing a title to the Mets.

Honorable Mention:
Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall, Geoff Goetz to the Marlins for Mike Piazza

New York Yankees: Babe Ruth Trade

Date: Jan. 3, 1920
Yankees Got: Babe Ruth
Red Sox Got: $100,000

Feel free to argue whether or not this is a trade, but I have chosen to include it. The deal that brought Ruth to the Yankees is the biggest transaction in baseball history and deserves to be recognized as such.

Legend has it that, when Ruth asked for a substantial raise and was turned down, he threatened to retire, forcing the Red Sox owner to deal the unhappy star.

The White Sox offered a package of Shoeless Joe Jackson and $60,000 but the Red Sox insisted on the full $100,000 in cash, and found a taker in the Yankees, and the rest is history.

Oakland Athletics: Rickey Henderson Trade

Date: June 21, 1989
Athletics Got: Rickey Henderson
Yankees Got: Luis Polonia, Eric Plunk, Greg Cadaret

Henderson broke into the league as a member of the A's, but he was dealt to the Yankees before the 1985 season for five prospects as the A's looked to rebuild.

However, they found themselves back in contention in 1989, with guys like Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Dave Stewart, and others anchoring the team.

Realizing the error of their ways, they reacquired Henderson for their second-half run and went on to win the World Series in 1989.

The following season, Henderson took home AL MVP honors with a .325 BA, 28 HR, 61 RBI, 65 SB season, as the A's returned to the World Series but lost to Cincinnati.

Henderson left for the Blue Jays stretch run in 1993, then rejoined the team for the 1994 and 1995 season. He found himself in Oakland again in 1998 as well, as he never seemed to be too far off the Athletics radar.

Philadelphia Phillies: Steve Carlton Trade

Date: Feb. 25, 1972
Phillies Got: Steve Carlton
Cardinals Got: Rick Wise

Carlton had an up-and-down first seven seasons of his career as a member of the Cardinals, so when he followed up a 19-loss season in 1970 with a 20-win season in 1971, the Cardinals decided to sell high and they dealt the 27-year old left to the Phillies for Rick Wise who was coming off a 17-win season of his own.

Wise spent just two seasons in St. Louis, winning a respectable 16 games in both season. Carlton went on to win 241 games and four Cy Young Awards in 15 seasons with the Phillies. Advantage Phillies.

In his first season in Philadelphia, Carlton broke out winning the pitching Triple Crown with a phenomenal 27-10, 1.97 ERA, 310 Ks line.

That would become the norm, as he was one of the game's best during the 1970s, and is one of the best left-handers of all time.

Honorable Mention:
Dom Demeter, Jack Hamilton to the Tigers for Jim Bunning, Gus Triandos

Pittsburgh Pirates: Brian Giles Trade

Date: Nov. 18, 1998
Pirates Got: Brian Giles
Indians Got: Ricardo Rincon

Ah, the prices a contender will pay for reliable middle relief. Giles was the odd man out in an outfield that consisted of David Justice, Kenny Lofton, and Manny Ramirez, so he was shipped to Pittsburgh for Rincon.

After hitting combined 33 HR in just over 700 at bats between 1997 and 1998, Giles had the potential to be a major run producer, and he lived up to it immediately with a .315 BA, 39 HR, 115 RBI line in his first season with the Pirates.

In his four full seasons in Pittsburgh, Giles averaged .309 BA, 37 HR, 109 RBI, as he became one of the NL's premier sluggers.

When the time came to deal Giles, an inevitability for any good Pirates player, the Pirates got maximum value netting Jason Bay and Oliver Perez from the Padres in what was another of the Pirates' better moves.

San Diego Padres: Adrian Gonzalez Trade

Date: Jan. 6, 2006
Padres Got: Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young, Terrmel Sledge
Rangers Got: Akinori Otsuka, Adam Eaton, Billy Killian

In a move that the Rangers hoped would bolster both their bullpen (Otsuka) as well as their rotation (Eaton), they gave away one of the top sluggers in the game today, as well as a solid starter.

Coming off of back-to-back 11-win seasons for poor Padres teams, Adam Eaton seemed to have the potential for a breakout on the right team.

However, it was Young who benefited from a change, as he became a solid No. 2 pitcher behind Jake Peavy.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez has developed into one of the best power hitters in all of baseball, as he is finally starting to fulfill the potential that made him the No. 1 pick in the draft back in 2000.

San Francisco Giants: Christy Mathewson Trade

Date: Dec. 15, 1900
Giants Got: Christy Mathewson
Reds Got: Amos Rusie

So were going back a ways for this one, but this is one of the most one-sided trades in sports history that no one ever talks about.

I mean, the Reds gave away that third-winningest pitcher in baseball history before he ever pitched a game for them in exchange for a player who, while he is a Hall of Famer, was at the end of his career.

In fact, Rusie only pitched three games with the Reds in 1901, sporting a hefty 8.59 ERA in the process, before retiring.

Mathewson went on to 13 seasons of 20 or more wins, including four seasons with over 30 wins, as he is widely regarded as the second best pitcher in baseball history after Walter Johnson.

So to wrap things up, Mathewson's career line looks like this: 373-188, 2.13 ERA, 2,507 Ks. Not bad for a guy who only pitched 14 full seasons.

Seattle Mariners: Randy Johnson Trade

Date: May 25, 1989
Mariners Got: Randy Johnson, Gene Harris, Brian Holman
Expos Got: Mark Langston, Mike Campbell

With a 26/26 K/BB ratio in 29.2 IP during the 1989 season with the Expos prior to the trade, Johnson was the definition of a raw talent, as he had an amazing arm but was more of a thrower than a pitcher.

So the Expos traded Johnson in a deal centered around established strikeout machine Mark Langston, who was the first true ace the Mariners ever had.

Langston went on to have a stellar career, but not with the Expos, as he left for California in free agency prior to the 1990 season, where he won 88 games in eight seasons.

Johnson took a few years to round into form, but by 1993 he was a 19-game winner and perennial strikeout king, as he went on to win 130 games in 10 seasons with the Mariners before being traded to the Astros at the 1998 trade deadline.

Honorable Mention:
Ken Phelps to the Yankees for Jay Buhner
Darren Bragg to the Red Sox for Jamie Moyer

St. Louis Cardinals: Lou Brock Trade

Date: June 15, 1964
Cardinals Got: Lou Brock, Jack Spring, Paul Toth
Cubs Got: Ernie Broglio, Doug Clemens, Bobby Shantz

Take your pick between this one and the Jeff Bagwell deal as the most lopsided trade in baseball history, as the Cubs traded away a dynamic future Hall of Famer for virtually nothing.

In two full seasons with the Cubs, Brock showed flashes of his talent, with 40 steals over that span. However, he hit just .260 and struck out much more than you would like out of a leadoff hitter.

So midway through the 1964 season, with Brock hitting just .251, the Cubs dealt him to the rival Cardinals for Doug Broglio.

Broglio was coming off of an 18-win season, and also had a 21-win season to his credit, and at 28 years old, seemed to be just entering his prime.

However, he scuffled to a 4-7 record after the trade, while Brock was a revelation, hitting .348 BA, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 33 SB with the Cardinals after the trade.

Broglio was out of baseball two years later, and Brock went on to a Hall of Fame career.

Honorable Mention:
Ray Sadecki to the Giants for Orlando Cepeda

Tampa Bay Rays: Scott Kazmir Trade

Date: July 30, 2004
Rays Got: Scott Kazmir, Jose Diaz
Mets Got: Victor Zambrano, Brian Fortunato

In desperate need of another arm at the trade deadline, the Mets decided to deal their 2002 first round pick and Baseball America's No. 12 overall prospect in the 20-year old Kazmir for innings eater Victor Zambrano.

Not a wise decision, as Zambrano made just three starts down the stretch in 2004 and just 35 total in his three seasons in New York, compiling a pedestrian 10-14 record with a 4.42 ERA.

Kazmir, on the other hand, became a centerpiece of the Rays youth movement, and he was the staff ace by the next season.

He went on to win 45 games over the next four seasons, making a pair of All-Star appearances and leading the AL with 239 strikeouts in 2007 before being dealt to the Angels midway through the 2009 season.

Honorable Mention:
Delmon Young, Brendan Harris, Jason Pridie to the Twins for Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, Eduardo Morlan

Texas Rangers: Rafael Palmeiro Trade

Date: Dec. 5, 1988
Rangers Got: Rafael Palmeiro, Jamie Moyer, Drew Hall
Cubs Got: Mitch Williams, Steve Wilson, Curt Wilkerson, Paul Kilgus, Pablo Delgado, Luis Benitez

With Rich Gossage struggling the previous season in the closer's role for the Cubs, converting just 13-of-23 saves, and the Cubs converting 29-of-56 as a team, the club was in desperate need of an arm to anchor their bullpen.

Originally trade talks centered around shortstop Shawon Dunston, but the Cubs eventually moved another up-and-coming player in Palmeiro, who had made the All-Star team the previous season, after hitting .307 BA, 8 HR, 53 RBI in his first full season.

Palmeiro went on to post prolific numbers, while Williams was a constant adventure in the ninth inning, although he did save 52 games in his two seasons on the North Side.

Toronto Blue Jays: Joe Carter & Roberto Alomar Trade

Date: Dec. 5, 1990
Blue Jays Got: Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar
Padres Got: Fred McGriff, Tony Fernandez

After finishing 86-76 in 1990, despite having one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball, the Blue Jays decided it was time for an overhaul of their lineup in the off season leading up to the 1991 season.

With top prospect John Olerud ready to contribute, the Jays traded their starting first baseman and top hitter Fred McGriff, along with another steady performer in Tony Fernandez, to the Padres.

In return, they received a 23-year old second baseman in Roberto Alomar who was fresh off his first All-Star appearance, and an established slugger to help fill the hole in the middle of the lineup left by McGriff in Joe Carter.

It worked to perfection, as Olerud hit .256 BA, 17 HR, 68 RBI as the starting first baseman and only improved over the years.

Alomar blossomed into a superstar, and Carter continued to produce at a high level and eventually hit the biggest home run in franchise history.

Washington Nationals: Pedro Martinez Trade

Date: Nov. 19, 1993
Expos Got: Pedro Martinez
Dodgers Got: Delino DeShields

At just 20-years old in 1993, Martinez served as the long reliever out of the Dodgers bullpen, accumulating a 10-5 record in 65 appearances as he finished ninth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

That was enough for the Expos to part with speedster Delino DeShields in the off season to acquire Martinez, after DeShields registered his fourth straight season with at least 40 steals while hitting .295 in the process.

However, DeShields dropped off significantly with the Dodgers, hitting just .241, although he did still average 38 steals per season. He left for St. Loius in free agency following the 1996 season.

Martinez, who had thrived in a relief role with the Dodgers, immediately joined the Expos rotation, and he went 55-33 in four seasons with the team before being dealt to the Red Sox in what was probably the worst trade in team history.

Martinez did take home a Cy Young Award for the Expos, capturing the honor in 1997 when he went 17-8, 1.90 ERA, 305 Ks, as he led the NL in ERA and WHIP (0.932).