Each MLB Team's Best and Worst Trade of the 21st Century
From the Detroit Tigers' acquisition of Miguel Cabrera to the Atlanta Braves' move for Mark Teixeira, some trades work out exceedingly well, and some just don't succeed at all.
In the process of selecting each MLB team's best and worst trade of the 21st century, the most important factor was the success of the given players whom those clubs both brought in and shipped out. Plus, the extent to which that production either helped or hindered the overall success of the team also factored into the equation.
To avoid redundancy, a particular trade couldn't be listed as both the best move for one team and as the worst move for the other side in the deal. As a result, Brandon Phillips' trade from the Cleveland Indians to the Cincinnati Reds counts as the worst move for the Tribe but not as the best trade for the Reds.
With that qualification in mind, here's a look around the league at which players join Cabrera as some of the best trade acquisitions of the century and which players join Teixeira as some of the worst.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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The Best Deal
The Arizona Diamondbacks received SP Patrick Corbin, SP Tyler Skaggs, P Rafael Rodriguez and SP Joe Saunders from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for SP Dan Haren in July 2010.
The Diamondbacks received excellent value in this deal, which sent Haren to the Los Angeles Angels.
While Saunders posted a 3.96 ERA in three seasons for the National League West team, Corbin was the biggest add for the D-Backs. Tommy John surgery wiped out the 2014 season for the lefty, but back in 2013 he had a 3.41 ERA while pitching 208.1 innings.
The Worst Deal
Arizona received SP Ian Kennedy from the New York Yankees and SP Edwin Jackson from the Detroit Tigers in a three-team trade in December 2009. The Diamondbacks sent SP Max Scherzer and RP Daniel Schlereth to the Tigers; the Yankees sent CF Austin Jackson and RP Phil Coke to the Tigers; and the Tigers sent Curtis Granderson to the Yankees.
At the time of this trade, it would have been impossible to know just how significant of a mistake the D-Backs were making.
During the 2009 season, Scherzer, then 24 years old, posted a 4.12 ERA in 30 starts for Arizona. Of course, big things were on the horizon for the starter. Scherzer snagged the 2013 AL Cy Young Award for the Tigers and recently spun a no-hitter in his first season with the Washington Nationals.
Atlanta Braves
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The Best Deal
The Atlanta Braves received CF Michael Bourn and cash from the Houston Astros for P Juan Abreu, P Paul Clemens, SP Brett Oberholtzer and OF Jordan Schafer in July 2011.
Dynamic leadoff hitters are difficult to come by.
Back in the summer of 2011, Frank Wren, who was the general manager of the Atlanta Braves at the time, managed to acquire one of those rare spark plugs in Bourn. To make this trade even better for the Braves, Wren added Bourn to the top of the lineup for nothing more than scraps. During his season-and-a-half with the club, the speedy center fielder tallied 64 steals and 13 triples.
The Worst Deal
The Braves received OF J.D. Drew and 1B/C/OF Eli Marrero from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for SP Adam Wainwright, RP Ray King and SP Jason Marquis in December 2003.
Drew had some great numbers during his one season with the Braves, as he hit .305 and swatted 31 bombs. The problem is that Atlanta had to part with a highly touted Double-A starter to acquire the right fielder. That prospect just so happened to be Wainwright, who has since posted a 2.98 ERA in 10 brilliant seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Baltimore Orioles
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The Best Deal
The Baltimore Orioles received CF Adam Jones, SP Chris Tillman, P Tony Butler, P Kam Mickolio and RP George Sherrill from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for SP Erik Bedard in February 2008.
For then-GM Andy MacPhail, this deal was a classic example of selling high.
In 2007, Bedard was fifth in AL Cy Young Award voting, as he posted a 3.16 ERA in 28 starts. MacPhail capitalized on that success by sending the lefty to the Seattle Mariners for a haul of five prospects.
"We traded one of the game's best young left-handed pitchers, but in exchange we think we improved the long-term outlook for the Baltimore Orioles," MacPhail said, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com) at the time of the trade.
The exec was spot-on in that assessment, as the deal ended up bringing back a couple of franchise cornerstones in Jones and Tillman.
The Worst Deal
Baltimore received OF Sammy Sosa and cash from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for P Dave Crouthers, UTL Jerry Hairston and INF Mike Fontenot.
The good news about this trade for the O's was that the club didn't have to part with much to bring in Sosa. The bad news was that he was brutal in 2005, his lone season in Baltimore. The right-handed hitter batted .221 and posted a dismal .376 slugging percentage.
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Boston Red Sox
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The Best Deal
The Boston Red Sox received SP Curt Schilling from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for SP Casey Fossum, OF Mike Goss, RP Brandon Lyon and SP Jorge De La Rosa in November 2003.
The acquisition of Schilling proved to be a historically successful trade for the Red Sox.
The right-handed starter had bold ambitions from the moment he arrived at Fenway Park, as he explained via ESPN.com back in 2003.
"I want to be a part of bringing the first World Series in modern history to Boston. And hopefully more than one over the next four years."
Schilling managed to accomplish both of those goals during his time there, as he won the 2004 and 2007 Fall Classics with the Red Sox.
The Worst Deal
The Red Sox received SP Jeff Suppan, RP Brandon Lyon and P Anastacio Martinez from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for 2B Freddy Sanchez and RP Mike Gonzalez in July 2003.
The idea behind bringing in Suppan from the Pittsburgh Pirates was to bolster the Red Sox's rotation for the stretch drive. Instead, the vet checked in with a 5.57 ERA in 11 outings for the Red Sox. To make matters worse, Sanchez went on to be a standout second baseman. In 2006, he hit .344 and won the NL batting title for the Bucs.
Chicago Cubs
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The Best Deal
The Chicago Cubs received 1B Eric Karros and 2B Mark Grudzielanek from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for C Todd Hundley and F Chad Hermansen in December 2002.
Finding a trade to fill this spot was no easy task. A couple of the Chicago Cubs' best moves proved to be so disastrous for the other side that they are actually listed on later slides for those unfortunate teams.
With that consideration in mind, the move that gets the call here was the 2002 trade that brought Karros and Grudzielanek to Wrigley Field. Grudzielanek was the key acquisition for Chicago, as he hit .312 in two seasons. Plus, the deal allowed the team to pawn off Hundley, who batted .182 in 2003, his final season in the majors.
The Worst Deal
The Cubs received P Jeff Verplancke from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for 3B Bill Mueller in September 2002.
Parting company with free-agent-to-be Mueller in September 2002 didn't end up providing the Cubs with any value.
In return for the switch-hitter, the Cubs received Verplancke, who never made a single appearance on an MLB mound. Meanwhile, after departing from the San Francisco Giants at the end of the season, Mueller went on to win the AL batting title for the Boston Red Sox in 2003, hitting .326.
Chicago White Sox
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The Best Deal
The Chicago White Sox received SP Jose Contreras from the New York Yankees in exchange for SP Esteban Loaiza in July 2004.
For the White Sox, this trade paid off in the fall of 2005. After posting a 3.61 ERA in 32 regular-season starts, Contreras played a key role in the team's run to the World Series title.
Loaiza, the player whom the team shipped out in exchange for Contreras, did next to nothing for the New York Yankees. In 10 outings, he piled up an 8.50 ERA.
The Worst Deal
Chicago received 1B/OF Nick Swisher from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for SP Gio Gonzalez, RP Fautino De Los Santos and OF Ryan Sweeney in January 2008.
With a .219 average in 2008, Swisher endured an entirely forgettable one-year run on the South Side. Unfortunately for the White Sox, the club parted ways with future star Gonzalez in order to pry away Swisher from the Oakland Athletics.
Cincinnati Reds
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The Best Deal
The Cincinnati Reds received SP Aaron Harang, P Jeff Bruksch and P Joe Valentine from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for OF Jose Guillen in July 2003.
Harang never grabbed the headlines, but the right-hander did provide the Reds with eight years of quality starting. His best season in Cincinnati came in 2007 when he went 16-6 with a 3.73 ERA while punching out 218 batters on his way to getting the fourth-most votes for the NL Cy Young Award.
The Worst Deal
The Reds received SP Edinson Volquez and P Danny Herrera from the Texas Rangers in exchange for Josh Hamilton in December 2007.
The Reds dropped the ball on this one.
In four seasons with the NL Central team, Volquez was far from special, posting a 4.17 ERA in 74 outings. Meanwhile, Hamilton became a game-changer for the Texas Rangers. In his first go-around with Texas, the outfielder made the All-Star team in each of his five seasons, winning the AL MVP Award in 2010.
Cleveland Indians
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The Best Deal
The Cleveland Indians received Shin-Soo Choo and P Shawn Nottingham from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for 1B Ben Broussard in July 2006.
Choo had all sorts of success during his seven seasons with the Cleveland Indians.
During his time with the Tribe, the outfielder owned an impressive slash line of .292/.383/.469. Choo's best season was in 2010 when he clubbed 22 home runs and nabbed 22 bases. That's a remarkable haul for the Indians considering that the club only had to send out Broussard, a .263 career hitter to acquire Choo.
The Worst Deal
Cleveland received RP Jeff Stevens from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for 2B Brandon Phillips in April 2006
In parts of four seasons with the Indians, Phillips was a total bust. But that all changed once he arrived in the NL Central following an April 2006 trade to the Reds.
Phillips has posted a .277 average in 10 campaigns with the Reds, making three All-Star appearances. Plus, the four-time Gold Glove winner is capable of making insane plays in the field, as you can see in this MLB.com video.
Colorado Rockies
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The Best Deal
The Colorado Rockies received SP Jorge De La Rosa from the Kansas City Royals as the player to be named later in exchange for P Ramon Ramirez in April 2008.
Coors Field is a graveyard for pitchers.
Yet somehow, De La Rosa has managed to thrive at the Rockies' home park. The lefty is the club's all-time leader in wins, and he ended up in Colorado as the player to be named later in a low-profile 2008 deal with the Kansas City Royals.
The Worst Deal
The Rockies received SP Jeremy Guthrie from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for SP Jason Hammel and P Matt Lindstrom in February 2012.
The Rockies were the clear losers in this exchange of veteran starters. While Hammel recorded a 3.43 ERA for the Orioles in 2012 after escaping Coors Field, Guthrie encountered all sorts of struggles in his half season in the Rocky Mountains. In 19 outings, opponents battered him to the tune of a 6.35 ERA.
Detroit Tigers
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The Best Deal
The Detroit Tigers received 1B Miguel Cabrera and SP Dontrelle Willis from the Florida Marlins in exchange for SP Dallas Trahern, OF Cameron Maybin, RP Andrew Miller, RP Burke Badenhop, C Mike Rabelo and RP Frankie De La Cruz in December 2007.
There's not much to be said here.
The then-Florida Marlins picked up some quality pieces in Maybin and Miller, but there just aren't that many players like Cabrera. The Detroit Tigers first baseman, who is one of the most accomplished hitters in recent history, checks in with a .327 average in eight seasons with the AL Central squad. Oh, and he's won a pair of AL MVPs and a Triple Crown while in Detroit.
The Worst Deal
The Tigers received RP Ian Krol, SP Robbie Ray and UTL Steve Lombardozzi from the Washington Nationals in exchange for Doug Fister in December 2013.
Even Dave Dombrowski, the president, CEO and GM of the Tigers, swings and misses every once in a while. That was definitely the case when it came to this move.
Fister hasn't been great for the Washington Nationals in 2015, but he was lights-out a season ago. In 2014, the righty starter ripped off a 2.41 ERA in 25 starts for the Nats.
Houston Astros
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The Best Deal
The Houston Astros received Carlos Beltran in a three-team trade with the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics in June 2004. The Astros sent RP Octavio Dotel to the Athletics and C John Buck to the Royals, while the Athletics sent 3B Mark Teahen and P Mike Wood to the Royals.
Beltran only spent 90 regular-season games with the Houston Astros, but it was a monstrous run.
During his stay there, he clubbed 17 doubles, seven triples and 23 home runs while posting a .926 OPS as the club advanced to the National League Championship Series.
The Worst Deal
The Astros received 1B/3B/OF Aubrey Huff from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for UTL Ben Zobrist and SP Mitch Talbot in July 2006.
The Astros sure gave up a lot for half a season of Huff.
The club acquired the infielder/outfielder in a July 2006 swap, which sent Zobrist to the Tampa Bay Rays. He went on to become a two-time All-Star for the AL East team and is still one of the most defensively versatile players in the game.
Kansas City Royals
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The Best Deal
The Kansas City Royals received CF Lorenzo Cain, SS Alcides Escobar, RP Jeremy Jeffress and SP Jake Odorizzi from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for SP Zack Greinke and INF Yuniesky Betancourt in December 2010.
Sure, Greinke is one of the best pitchers in the game, but the Kansas City Royals flat-out cleaned up when the front office traded him in their disgruntled ace in winter of 2010.
In that blockbuster swap, the Royals picked up a couple of 2015 AL All-Star starters in Cain and Escobar. The move also brought back right-hander Odorizzi, who has gone on to excel for the Tampa Bay Rays after KC sent him there in the James Shields trade.
The Worst Deal
The Royals received C Justin Huber from the New York Mets in exchange for OF Jose Bautista in July 2004.
Bautista was a baseball nomad before finding a home with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2008.
The slugger spent time with the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates before settling north of the border. Like all those teams on this list, the Royals would take back the six-time All-Star in an instant.
Los Angeles Angels
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The Best Deal
The Los Angeles Angels received UTL Chone Figgins from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for OF Kimera Bartee in July 2001.
Los Angeles absolutely crushed Colorado in this trade.
While Bartee never recorded a hit in 12 games with the Rockies, Figgins was a staple at the Big A for eight seasons. The switch-hitter's best campaign was back in 2009 when he earned an All-Star selection and landed in the No. 10 spot on the AL MVP Award ballot.
The Worst Deal
The Angels received OF Vernon Wells from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for 1B Mike Napoli and OF Juan Rivera in January 2011.
Wells' two-year stay with the Angels was a train wreck. During the 2011 and 2012 seasons, he put up a .222 average and a .667 OPS. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Angels agreed to pay $28.1 million for that production.
Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Best Deal
The Los Angeles Dodgers received OF Manny Ramirez in a three-team trade with the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates in July 2008. The Dodgers sent 3B Andy LaRoche and P Bryan Morris to the Pirates; the Red Sox sent P Craig Hansen and 1B/OF Brandon Moss to the Pirates; and the Pirates sent OF Jason Bay to the Red Sox.
Ramirez was a hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the summer of 2008.
The dreadlocked outfielder put up video game numbers for the NL West team, posting a .396 average, a 1.232 OPS and 17 bombs in 53 games. Ramirez also came up big in October, hitting .520 with four jacks in the Dodgers' run to the NL Championship Series.
The Worst Deal
The Dodgers received P Andrew Brown, SP Odalis Perez and OF Brian Jordan from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for OF Gary Sheffield in January 2002.
The Dodgers didn't get anywhere close to proper value in the Sheffield trade.
Jordan, who tagged 24 home runs in his two seasons in L.A., was the most valuable piece that the Dodgers got back. But that production paled in comparison to Sheffield's power output during his two-year stint with the Braves. He went yard 25 times in 2002 and then smashed 39 bombs the year after that.
Miami Marlins
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The Best Deal
The Miami Marlins received SS Hanley Ramirez, SP Anibal Sanchez, P Jesus Delgado and P Harvey Garcia from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for 3B Mike Lowell, SP Josh Beckett and RP Guillermo Mota in November 2005.
The club had to pay up in this deal, as the then-Florida Marlins shipped established vets Lowell and Beckett to Fenway Park, both of whom helped Boston to a title in 2007.
But the return for the Fish was tremendous.
The undisputed stars of the haul were Ramirez and Sanchez. Ramirez was a .300 hitter in his six-and-a-half seasons in South Beach and was an absolute force in 2009. That year, the shortstop was the runner-up for the NL MVP Award as he crushed 24 home runs, stole 27 bases and hit .342.
For Sanchez, 2006 was a solid rookie year, as he recorded a 2.83 ERA in 18 outings, including a no-hitter. He recorded a 3.75 ERA in six-plus seasons with the Marlins.
The Worst Deal
The Marlins received 1B Hee-Seop Choi and P Mike Nannini from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Derrek Lee in November 2003.
Sending Lee to the Chicago Cubs proved to be an awful decision for the Marlins.
Fresh off a 2003 season in which the first baseman smashed 31 home runs, the Marlins traded Lee to Wrigley Field for a couple of young players who never panned out. First baseman Choi totaled 15 homers in his only season with the Marlins, and starter Nannini never even cracked the 25-man roster.
Milwaukee Brewers
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The Best Deal
The Milwaukee Brewers received SP CC Sabathia from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for OF Michael Brantley, 1B/OF Matt LaPorta, P Zach Jackson and P Rob Bryson in July 2008.
As it turns out, this trade wasn't a total slam dunk for the Milwaukee Brewers.
After all, the Brew Crew did give away the talented Brantley in the deal. But bringing on Sabathia was a big success for the Brewers. In 2008, the lefty went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts to help lead the club to its first playoff appearance since 1982.
The Worst Deal
The Brewers received P Julian Cordero, RP Francisco Cordero, OF Kevin Mench and OF Laynce Nix from the Texas Rangers in exchange for OF Carlos Lee and OF Nelson Cruz in July 2006.
Back in the summer of 2006, Cruz was supposed to be an extra piece in this six-player swap. So much for that. Cruz didn't really take off until 2009, but he certainly made his mark with his new team. He crushed 33 home runs that year and made two All-Star appearances in his last five seasons with the Texas Rangers.
Minnesota Twins
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The Best Deal
The Minnesota Twins received OF Shannon Stewart and SP Dave Gassner from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for OF Bobby Kielty in July 2003.
There were options for this spot.
Another trade, in which the Minnesota Twins fleeced the San Francisco Giants, could have claimed this honor. However, because that trade was so bad for the Giants, it's been listed as the NL West club's worst deal rather than the Twins' best.
As a result, Minnesota's move to acquire Stewart earns this selection. He proved to be a remarkably consistent contributor for the Twins. In four seasons, the outfielder swung at a clip of .294 while posting a .354 OBP.
The Worst Deal
The Twins received CF Carlos Gomez, RP Deolis Guerra, SP Philip Humber and P Kevin Mulvey from the New York Mets in exchange for SP Johan Santana in February 2008.
This move did not go to plan for the Twins. Of the four players the club received in return for Santana, Gomez was the most productive. Of course, that's a relative term.
While Gomez has established himself as one of the premier center fielders in baseball with the Milwaukee Brewers, his play with the Twins wasn't nearly as dynamic. In two years in the AL Central, the Dominican was just a .248 hitter.
Santana, meanwhile, finished third in the NL Cy Young voting in 2008 and made an All-Star appearance the following season.
New York Mets
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The Best Deal
The New York Mets received SP Zack Wheeler from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for OF Carlos Beltran in July 2011.
The fact that Wheeler is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery puts a slight damper on this trade, but still there's a lot to like about it for the New York Mets.
The team brought in the promising right-hander by sending Beltran to the San Francisco Giants back in the summer of 2011. While the Giants only got the free-agent to-be for a couple of months, the Mets have already received significant production from Wheeler.
Since debuting in June 2013, he has put up a 3.50 ERA in 49 starts.
The Worst Deal
The Mets received RP Bartolome Fortunato and SP Victor Zambrano from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for SP Scott Kazmir and P Jose Diaz in July 2004.
Kazmir never got the chance to pitch for the Mets because the front office shipped out the top prospect in exchange for starter Zambrano and reliever Fortunato. The move backfired in a big way for the Mets. While Zambrano disappointed with a 4.42 ERA in three seasons, Kazmir became a two-time All-Star for the Tampa Bay Rays.
New York Yankees
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The Best Deal
The New York Yankees received OF Bobby Abreu and SP Cory Lidle from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for UTL C.J. Henry, C/P Jesus Sanchez, P Carlos Monasterios and P Matt Smith in July 2006.
GM Brian Cashman hit it big with this July blockbuster.
In the six-player swap with the Phillies, the exec added a reliable rotation arm in Lidle, but Abreu was the unquestioned headliner. In the summer of 2006, the outfielder went on a tear, posting a .330 average in 58 games for the Yanks.
The Worst Deal
The Yankees received SP Kevin Brown from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for SP Brandon Weeden, SP Jeff Weaver and P Yhency Brazoban in December 2003.
There wasn't much left in the tank by the time Brown made it to the Bronx. The six-time All-Star only made 35 starts for the Yankees in two seasons, posting an unsightly 4.95 ERA in the process. He was alarmingly bad in 2006, his final season in the bigs, as he recorded a 6.50 ERA.
The Yanks didn't lose much in the deal, but the disappointment Brown provided was enough to make this deal a big negative.
Oakland Athletics
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The Best Deal
The Oakland Athletics received SP Dan Haren, RP Kiko Calero and 1B Daric Barton from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for SP Mark Mulder in December 2004.
What made this trade so great for the Oakland Athletics was the fact that while Mulder was on the downslope of his career, Haren was only just getting started.
In parts of four injury-riddled seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Mulder pitched just 55 games and racked up a 5.04 ERA. Meanwhile, Haren was an All-Star in 2007 and pitched at least 217 innings in each of his three seasons in Oakland.
The Worst Deal
The Athletics received OF Charles Thomas, RP Juan Cruz and P Dan Meyer from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for SP Tim Hudson in December 2004.
Even at the time of this swap, GM Billy Beane knew that shipping out Hudson was going to hurt.
"This was the most difficult phone call I've ever had with a player about a trade or a departure," Beane said, via ESPN.com back in 2004. "I spent a lot of time on the phone with him. It was very difficult. We're going to miss him, there's no question."
And Beane was right. The starter went on to spend nine seasons with the Atlanta Braves, reeling off a 3.56 ERA. While Hudson was thriving in the NL East, Thomas, Cruz and Meyer all proved to be non-factors for the Athletics.
Philadelphia Phillies
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The Best Deal
The Philadelphia Phillies received RP Brad Lidge and UTL Eric Bruntlett from the Houston Astros in exchange for OF Michael Bourn, 1B Mike Costanzo and P Geoff Geary in November 2007.
Lidge was an indispensable member of the Philadelphia Phillies when the club won the Fall Classic in 2008. The right-hander was No. 8 in NL MVP voting that year thanks to his 1.95 ERA. Then in the postseason, Lidge locked down seven saves for the Phils.
Bourn won a pair of Gold Gloves and made an All-Star appearance in Houston, but it was a small price to pay for Lidge's help in winning a title.
The Worst Deal
The Phillies received 3B Placido Polanco, SP Bud Smith and P Mike Timlin in exchange for 3B Scott Rolen, P Doug Nickle and cash in July 2002.
The Phillies didn't completely strike out on this trade.
As part of the return for sending Rolen to the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia acquired third baseman Polanco. The Dominican posted a .289 average and a .739 OPS in seven seasons with the team.
While those numbers were more than respectable, they were no match for Rolen's stat line with the Cards. In six years with St. Louis, he hit .286 and put up a .879 OPS. Plus, the vet snagged three Gold Gloves and four All-Star selections.
Pittsburgh Pirates
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The Best Deal
The Pittsburgh Pirates received OF Jason Bay, SP Oliver Perez and P Cory Stewart from the San Diego Padres in exchange for OF Brian Giles in August 2003.
The Pirates had to part with two-time All-Star Giles to make this trade happen, but Bay's performance made this a move worth making. He was named the NL Rookie of the Year in 2004. In six campaigns with the club, he posted an impressive .515 slugging percentage and an .890 OPS.
Perez didn't offer the same kind of consistency as Bay did, but the lefty did have a dominant season in 2004. Just 22 years old at the time, Perez recorded a 2.98 ERA and 11 strikeouts per nine innings in 30 starts.
Giles never quite duplicated the success he had in Pittsburgh with the Padres.
The Worst Deal
The Pirates received INF Bobby Hill, P Matt Bruback and UTL Jose Hernandez from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for 3B Aramis Ramirez and CF Kenny Lofton in July 2003.
This isn't just the Bucs' worst trade of the 21st century. This is one of the worst trades that any club has in that time frame.
While the Pirates landed three players who made zero impact in Pittsburgh, the Chicago Cubs got tons of value. Ramirez, who wasn't even the centerpiece of the deal, spent nine seasons in Chicago, clubbing 239 home runs and posting an .887 OPS. Lofton was only with the club for half a season, but he hit .327 during that stint.
San Diego Padres
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The Best Deal
The San Diego Padres received 1B Adrian Gonzalez, OF Terrmel Sledge and SP Chris Young from the Texas Rangers in exchange for C Billy Killian, SP Adam Eaton and P Akinori Otsuka in January 2006.
Blocked by Mark Teixeira with the Texas Rangers, Gonzalez turned out to be a perfect fit with the San Diego Padres. During his five seasons with the Pads, the first baseman was a three-time All-Star and the owner of an .888 OPS.
The Worst Deal
The Padres received CF Jim Edmonds from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for 3B David Freese in December 2007.
If you blinked, you might have missed Edmonds' tenure with the Padres.
The center fielder spent just 26 games with San Diego, posting a .178 average before getting released. In order to acquire Edmonds, the team had to part with third baseman Freese, who would go on to be the 2011 World Series MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals.
San Francisco Giants
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The Best Deal
The San Francisco Giants received RF Hunter Pence from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for C/1B Tommy Joseph, P Seth Rosin and OF Nate Schierholtz in July 2012.
While the acquisition of Marco Scutaro received consideration for this spot, there's just no way to ignore the impact that the Pence trade made for the Giants.
Currently in his fourth season with the club, Pence has already won two World Series titles with San Francisco. And it's not just his impressive play on the field that stands out. As manager Bruce Bochy explained via John Schlegel of MLB.com last fall, the right fielder is "inspiring" both on the diamond and in the clubhouse.
The Worst Deal
The Giants received C A.J. Pierzynski and cash from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for P Boof Bonser, RP Joe Nathan and SP Francisco Liriano in November 2003.
Brian Sabean has enjoyed a remarkable reign in the San Francisco Giants' front office, but this trade was not one of his better moments. In exchange for one season of Pierzynski, the Giants gave away Nathan and Liriano, who combined to earn seven All-Star nods.
Seattle Mariners
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The Best Deal
The Seattle Mariners received SP Cliff Lee from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for OF Tyson Gillies, RP Phillippe Aumont and RP J.C. Ramirez in December 2009.
Lee's career with the Seattle Mariners was brief—extremely brief—as the lefty only made 13 starts for the club. Still, it's difficult to complain when the cost of acquiring a front-line starter is just three spare parts who never went on to make a meaningful contribution in the bigs.
The Worst Deal
The Mariners received P Juan Gonzalez and SS Ramon Santiago from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for SS Carlos Guillen in January 2004.
Since we've already covered the Adam Jones to the Baltimore Orioles fiasco, the nod here goes to the decision to jettison Guillen back in 2004.
Guillen was always a serviceable shortstop for the M's, but he really took off after heading to Motown. In eight seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the Venezuelan posted an .842 OPS.
St. Louis Cardinals
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The Best Deal
The St. Louis Cardinals received OF Matt Holliday from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for P Clayton Mortensen, OF Shane Peterson and 1B/3B Brett Wallace in July 2009.
Holliday sure knows how to make a first impression.
After a summer trade in 2009, the left fielder hit .353 with 13 homers and 16 doubles in 63 games for the St. Louis Cardinals. While Holliday is now in his seventh season with the Cards, the three players the team gave up for him all washed out of the Oakland Athletics' organization without making the slightest impact.
The Worst Deal
The Cardinals received SS Khalil Greene from the San Diego Padres in exchange for RP Luke Gregerson and RP Mark Worrell in December 2008.
With a .200 average in his one season with the Cards, Greene was a major disappointment for the squad. Plus, St. Louis gave the San Diego Padres an unusually reliable relief arm in the swap. In his five seasons in the NL West, Gregerson recorded a 2.88 ERA and never pitched fewer than 61 times.
Tampa Bay Rays
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The Best Deal
The Tampa Bay Rays received SP Chris Archer, C Robinson Chirinos, OF Sam Fuld, OF Brandon Guyer and SS Hak-Ju Lee from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for SP Matt Garza, OF Fernando Perez and P Zac Rosscup in January 2011.
For the Tampa Bay Rays, Archer is the gem of this eight-player megadeal.
The righty starter doesn't generate much buzz, but he's been nasty since ascending to the majors with the Rays. In 2015, he is sporting a 2.73 ERA and earned his first All-Star honor—a much-deserved distinction.
Garza went on to post a 3.45 ERA in parts of three seasons with the Cubs.
The Worst Deal
The Rays received INF Nick Franklin from the Seattle Mariners and SS Willy Adames and SP Drew Smyly from the Detroit Tigers in a three-team trade in July 2014. The Rays sent SP David Price to the Tigers, while the Tigers sent CF Austin Jackson to the Mariners.
It might be a little early to judge this deal. Then again, considering that the Rays gave up the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner in this transaction in Price, the results have not been terribly encouraging. Smyly has spent most of the 2015 season on the disabled list, while Franklin has been plodding away, bouncing between Triple-A and the big club. In addition, Adames is still in High-A.
Texas Rangers
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The Best Deal
The Texas Rangers received SS Elvis Andrus, RP Neftali Feliz, SP Matt Harrison, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia and P Beau Jones from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for 1B Mark Teixeira and RP Ron Mahay in July 2007.
Dealing away Teixeira back in the summer of 2007 landed the Texas Rangers one of the most impressive hauls in recent memory. Three players acquired in the trade—Andrus, Feliz and Harrison—would become core players for the Rangers. For his part, Teixeira spent just parts of two seasons with the Atlanta Braves.
The Worst Deal
Texas received SP Armando Galarraga, OF Brad Wilkerson and OF Terrmel Sledge from the Washington Nationals in exchange for Alfonso Soriano in December 2005.
This is one trade that the Rangers would love to take back.
Of the three chips that Texas received in return for Soriano, Wilkerson proved to be the most productive player. The outfielder cracked 15 home runs in 2006 and 17 in 2007, but that was nothing compared to the numbers that Soriano posted in his one campaign in the nation's capital. That season, he mashed 46 jacks and put up a .911 OPS.
Toronto Blue Jays
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The Best Deal
The Toronto Blue Jays received OF Jose Bautista from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for C Robinson Diaz in August 2008.
This trade worked out better than the Blue Jays ever could have expected. In parts of two seasons with the Pirates, Diaz went yard once. Now in his eighth season with the Blue Jays, Bautista has crushed 223 shots. Advantage: Blue Jays.
The Worst Deal
The Blue Jays received SP Esteban Loaiza from the Texas Rangers in exchange for INF Michael Young and P Darwin Cubillan in July 2000.
The Blue Jays drafted Young way back in 1997, but the future seven-time All-Star never played in the majors for the club thanks to an ill-advised summer swap in 2000.
Toronto shipped Young to the Texas Rangers in exchange for veteran starter Loaiza, who produced a 4.96 ERA in three seasons in Canada. Meanwhile, Young was a .301 hitter in 13 seasons for the AL West squad, finishing in the top 10 in MVP voting twice.
Washington Nationals
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The Best Deal
The Washington Nationals received RP Tyler Clippard from the New York Yankees in exchange for RP Jonathan Albaladejo in December 2007.
With the acquisitions of Doug Fister and Alfonso Soriano already covered on previous slides, some creativity was required in making this decision.
Ultimately, the nod went to Clippard because the setup man provided the Washington Nationals with one of the rarest assets of all when it comes to bullpen arms: consistency.
Simply put, the performance of relief pitchers is highly volatile each year. But there was nothing volatile about Clippard's effort with the Nats. He posted a 2.68 ERA in his seven seasons in Washington and pitched at least 72 games in each of his final five campaigns there.
The Worst Deal
The Nationals received OF Corey Brown and RP Henry Rodriguez from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for OF Josh Willingham in December 2010.
Power is elusive. Willingham, who clubbed 29 home runs in his one season with the Oakland Athletics following his trade from the Nats, definitely had power. Unfortunately, Washington gave away all that pop for a couple of players in Brown and Rodriguez who never made significant contributions to the NL East team.
Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com. All salary information courtesy of Cot's Baseball Contracts on BaseballProspectus.com.
If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.
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