MLB Trade Deadline Report Cards: Grading All 30 Teams' Moves at the Deadline

The 2011 MLB Trade Deadline has now come and gone. Some teams have made moves that have improved their rosters while other teams have made moves that have left fans and pundits scratching their heads.

Other teams decided to stand still at the trade deadline. For some teams, this was a good decision; for others, it was not.

Here are the grades for the deals that each team made at the trade deadline. Only deals from this past week were considered.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Trades:

Jason Marquis from Nationals for Zach Walters

Brad Ziegler from Athletics for Brandon Allen and Jordan Norberto

Grade: B

Bringing in Jason Marquis was a great move by the Diamondbacks. It will allow them to move Micah Owings to move to the bullpen. Zach Walters has the potential to be a good player, but he is still very young.

The Diamondbacks were able to improve their bullpen by bringing in Brad Ziegler. The only problem was that Arizona had to pay a steep price for him.

Brandon Allen is a power hitting first baseman. Jordan Norberto has struggled a bit with his command out, but he has been able to strike hitters out at a high rate for the Diamondbacks Triple-A team.

Atlanta Braves

Trades:

Michael Bourn from the Astros for Jordan Schafer, Juan Abreu, Paul Clemens and Brett Oberholtzer

Wil Nieves from the Brewers for $1

Grade: A

The Atlanta Braves had a great trade deadline. They were able to bring in Michael Bourn without bringing in any of their top prospects. Bourn provides the Braves with a solution to their problems both in the leadoff spot as well as in the outfield.

Jordan Schafer has had trouble during his time in the majors but he has shown potential when he was in the minors. Juan Abreu has the potential to an average reliever.

Paul Clemens has the potential to be at best a back of the rotation starter. The final piece in the deal was Brett Oberholtzer. He has pitched fairly well for the Braves Double-A team this year.

The Wil Nieves deal was a salary dump. If the Braves get anything productive out of him, it will be a win.

Baltimore Orioles

Trades:

Aaron Baker from the Pirates for Derek Lee

Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter from the Rangers for Koji Uehara

Grade: B+

Derek Lee was not going to net the Orioles a draft pick if he left at the end of the year, so Baltimore made a smart choice to deal him. In Aaron Baker, the Orioles are getting a prospect with power but also one that strikes out a lot.

Best-case scenario is that he becomes a Jack Cust type player.

Koji Uehara was one of the best relievers on the trade market and the Orioles got a nice return for him. Chris Davis will certainly get a chance to show off his power in Camden Yards.

Tommy Hunter went 13-4 for the Rangers last year, but this year, he's pitched out of the bullpen.

Boston Red Sox

Trades:

Mike Aviles from the Royals for Yamaico Navarro and Kendal Volz

Erik Bedard and Josh Fields from the Mariners for Chih-Hsien Chiang (to the Mariners), Tim Federowicz, Juan Rodriguez and Stephen Fife (to the Dodgers)

Grade: B+

Mike Aviles will likely serve as nothing more for a backup infielder for the Boston Red Sox. Navarro is just 23 years old and already has major league experience. Aviles is a slight upgrade over Navarro.

Volz started off his career as a starter and, but since moving to the bullpen for the Red Sox High-A team, he has seen some success.

The Red Sox big move of the deadline was bringing in Erik Bedard. He could be a big boost to the Red Sox rotation, but he has had trouble staying healthy. Josh Fields is a reliever who has potential, but he has struggled with control issues.

The best player that the Red Sox gave up in the deal was Chih-Hsien Chiang. He has had a breakout year at Double-A and appeared in the Futures Game this year.

Tim Federowicz and Stephen Fife are players who could have an impact for the Dodgers in the near future. Juan Rodriguez is a young reliever who still has a lot to prove.

Chicago Cubs

Trades:

Abner Abreu and Carlton Smith for Kosuke Fukudome

Grade: B

One of the biggest factors in the trade for the Cubs was the ability to rid themselves of Kosuke Fukudome's contract. In addition to this, they were able to bring in two good prospects.

Abner Abreu is a toolsy outfielder, but he has had some problems. While 12 home runs and 19 stolen bases are nice, his .241 average in High-A is not.

Carlton Smith is a 25-year-old reliever who is having a mediocre year at AAA.

Chicago White Sox

Trades:

Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart from the Blue Jays for Edwin Jackson and Mark Teahen

Grade: C+

After this trade was made, there was concern in Chicago that the White Sox did not have enough starting pitching depth. Also, the White Sox likely could have gotten more for a deal centered around Jackson.

Jason Frasor should prove to be a welcomed addition to the White Sox bullpen. He is a free agent after the year and should have Type B status so he will net the White Sox a draft pick.

Zach Stewart is a young starter, and he has the potential to be a middle of the rotation guy.

Cincinnati Reds

Trades:

Bill Rhinehart and Christopher Manno from the Nationals for Jonny Gomes

Grade: C

Coming into the week, the Cincinnati Reds were expected to be big players at the deadline. Then, they got swept by the Mets. They entered the deadline straddling the line between being buyers and sellers.

They made one move and picked up a few decent prospects. However, they did not really do anything that will help them now and the future impact of the players they acquired is questionable.

Bill Rhinehart has shown a lot of power in the minors, but he is 26 years old an in Double-A. Christopher Manno is a 22-year-old reliever who has been able to strike out a lot of hitters at the lower levels. He has a career 14.6 K/9 rate.

Cleveland Indians

Trades:

Ubaldo Jimenez from the Rockies for Alex White, Drew Pomeranz, Joseph Gardner and Matt McBride

Thomas Neal from the Giants for Orlando Cabrera

Kosuke Fukudome from the Cubs for Abner Abreu and Carlton Smith

Grade: B+

The Cleveland Indians were undoubtedly one of the most active teams at this year's trade deadline. They were also the team that made the biggest move of the deadline.

Bringing in Ubaldo Jimenez was a big move for the Indians. He has struggled this season, but Jimenez has the potential to push the Indians over the edge. Cleveland did overpay for Jimenez, as they gave up two of the best young pitching prospects in the game.

Getting Thomas Neal for Orlando Cabrera was a steal for the Indians. Cleveland really did not have a use for Cabrera and they were able to turn him into an outfield prospect with a lot of potential.

With their injuries, the Indians needed an outfielder. Kosuke Fukudome was not the best option out there, but he was not that expensive. He should help the Indians even after Grady Sizemore returns.

Colorado Rockies

Trades:

Alex White, Drew Pomeranz, Joseph Gardner and Matt McBride from the Indians for Ubaldo Jimenez

Grade: A-

Colorado was able to bring in some of the best young pitching prospects in baseball in return for Ubaldo Jimenez. Some questioned trading Jimenez, but this deal could absolutely be worth it.

Alex White and Drew Pomeranz both have front of the rotation potential and they were ranked as the 47th and 61st best prospects in the game by Baseball America.

White has already had success in the majors while Pomeranz has been flying through the minors in his first year as a professional.

Joseph Gardner is a starter who has reached Double-A in his second year as a pro, but he has hit some struggles. He has a 4.99 ERA on the year.

The last player involved in the deal was Matt McBride. He has played at both first base and in the outfield and has shown some solid power potential.

Detroit Tigers

Trades:

Doug Fister and David Pauley from the Mariners for Charles Furbush, Casper Wells, Francisco Martinez and PTBNL

Grade: B+

The Detroit Tigers have been trying to find someone to fill in the back end of their rotation for a good portion of the season. They have likely found the answer in Doug Fister.

Fister has been outstanding this season. He has a 3.33 ERA but has gone 3-12 because he has not gotten run support. He will not become a free agent until 2016. Detroit also shored up its bullpen by bringing in David Pauley. He will serve as a very useful piece for Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

Bringing in these two players did cost the Tigers a bit. They gave up three good prospects, and the player to be named later is rumored to be one of the Tigers' first three draft picks from 2010.

Florida Marlins

Trades:

None

Grade: C+

It is clear that the Florida Marlins are not going anywhere this season. However, next season they will be moving to a new stadium and at the deadline they had a chance to bring in some players who could move their with them.

Leo Nunez was a player who was drawing a lot of attention but the Marlins decided to hold on to him. Based on what other relievers were being traded for, the Marlins could have gotten a good haul for Nunez.

Houston Astros

Trades:

Jonathan Singleton, Jarred Cosart, Josh Zeid and PTBNL from the Phillies for Hunter Pence  

Jordan Schafer, Juan Abreu, Paul Clemens and Brett Oberholtzer from the Braves for Michael Bourn

Grades: B+

The Astros were another team that was very busy at the trade deadline. They were taking calls on players such as Wandy Rodriguez almost right up until the deadline.

Houston got a lot of value in their deal for Hunter Pence. Jonathan Singleton is a top prospect and has the potential to be a power hitting first baseman.

He was considered to be the 39th best prospect by Baseball America and has nine home runs as a 19-year-old in High-A. Jarred Cosart is another outstanding prospect. The 70th best prospect in the game, he went 9-8 with a 3.92 ERA in High-A. Josh Zeid has struggled in Double-A this year.

Unfortunately, Houston did not get anywhere close to this much value for Michael Bourn.

Jordan Schafer has the potential to be an everyday center fielder, but he has yet to prove it in the majors. Juan Abreu has had a good year as a reliever in Triple-A. Paul Clemens has gone 6-5 with a 3.73 ERA in Double-A.

Brett Oberholtzer was Clemens' teammate at Double-A, and he has also had a decent year, going 9-9 with a 3.74 ERA.

Kansas City Royals

Trades:

Yamaico Navarro and Kendal Volz from the Red Sox for Mike Aviles

Grade: B

Mike Aviles was incredibly inconsistent during his time in Kansas City. The Royals managed to turn him into a younger middle infielder as well as a pitching prospect.

Yamaico Navarro has shown some offensive potential and already has some major league experience. Kendal Volz pitched in High-A for the Red Sox this year. He has the potential be become a decent sixth- or seventh-inning reliever.

Los Angeles Angels

Trades:

None

Grade: C+

The biggest position where the Los Angeles Angels could have used an upgrade was at catcher. However, there were not any good catchers on the market, so the Angels cannot be faulted for not acquiring one.

Los Angeles also could have acquired a No. 5 starter, but once again this was not a great market. They saw the team they are chasing, the Texas Rangers, get better, while they just stood still.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Trades:

Alex Castellanos and cash from the Cardinals for Rafael Furcal

Tim Federowicz, Juan Rodriguez, and Stephen Fife from the Red Sox and sent Trayvon Robinson to the Mariners 

Grade: B

The Los Angeles Dodgers made a great move in their first trade of the day and then one that was a bit of a head scratcher in the their second trade.

LA was able to bring in a solid prospect for Rafael Furcal. Alex Castellanos has had a breakout year at Double-A this season. He has hit for a .319 batting average to go along with 19 home runs, 62 RBI and 10 stolen bases.

It is uncertain why getting into the deal for Erik Bedard made sense for the Dodgers. They ended up trading away Trayvon Robinson who is having a great year. In return, they got three prospects from the Red Sox.

Tim Federowicz is a catcher who has some potential power and is solid defensively. He could be a starter in the future. Juan Rodriguez has struck a lot of people out at Single-A Greenville, 13.4 per nine, but he has struggled otherwise.

Stephen Fife has gone 11-4 with a 3.66 ERA at Double-A. He could become a back of the rotation starter.

Milwaukee Brewers

Trades:

Jerry Hairston Jr. from the Nationals for Erik Komatsu

Felipe Lopez from the Rays for Cash

Grade: B-

With Rickie Weeks having to go on the disabled list for at least three weeks, the Brewers needed a replacement for him. Hairston will be a great replacement and then he will move into the utility role.

He has hit .268 with four home runs this year and can play almost every position on the diamond. Felipe Lopez is another player that could fill in during Weeks' absence.

Milwaukee did not acquire an outfielder to fill in for Carlos Gomez at the deadline. There were players available, but they never really made a move for one.

Minnesota Twins

Trades:

None

Grade: D-

Coming into the trade deadline, the Minnesota Twins could not decide if they would be buyers or sellers. They were eight games under .500 and seven games out of first place in the AL Central. They should have been sellers.

Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel and Kevin Slowey all could have brought in prospects to help the Twins in the future, but they decided not to move them.

New York Mets

Trades:

Zack Wheeler from the Giants for Carlos Beltran

Grade: A

New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson went into the trade deadline with just one goal. He wanted to bring back a top prospect in return for Carlos Beltran.

Alderson was able to accomplish his goal be getting Zack Wheeler from the San Francisco Giants.

He was ranked as the No. 55 prospect in the game by Baseball America before the season began. This year, Wheeler has proven that he deserves that ranking by going 7-5 with a 3.99 ERA and 10.0 K/9 rate in High-A.

New York Yankees

Trades:

None

Grade: F

The New York Yankees had a need for another starter, a reliever and someone who could DH and serve as a power bat off the bench. They managed to fill none of those needs.

New York also saw the Red Sox get better while they sat idle. The Yankees may hope to call on internal options such as Jesus Montero. They might try to improve by picking up players who get placed on waivers in August.

Oakland Athletics

Trades:

Brandon Allen and Jordan Norberto from the Diamondbacks for Brad Ziegler

Grade: B

The Oakland Athletics realized that they were not in a position to compete this year and wanted to add pieces for their future. They were able to accomplish that with this trade.

Oakland already has a prospect similar to Brandon Allen in Chris Carter. The big difference is that Carter has slightly more power. One of them will likely be a DH while the other plays first base. Allen has a .306 batting average and 18 home runs in the minors this year.

Jordan Norberto has the chance to be a decent reliever out of the Athletics' bullpen. He has a 4.25 ERA in Triple-A this season.

Philadelphia Phillies

Trades:

Hunter Pence from the Astros for Jonathan Singleton, Jarred Cosart, Josh Zied and PTBNL

Grade: B+

The Philadelphia Phillies went into the trade deadline with the intentions of trading for an outfielder who could help them with their run to the playoffs. They missed out on Carlos Beltran, but they acquired Hunter Pence.

Pence will not be a free agent until 2014, so he can help the Phillies for a few years. He hit .308 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI for the Astros this season.

Philadelphia did have to give up a few of their best prospects to acquire Pence.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Trades:

Derrek Lee from the Orioles for Aaron Baker

Ryan Ludwick from the Padres for a player to be named later

Grade: A

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this year. There was some concern that they might try to mortgage part of their future in an attempt to make the playoffs this year.

Pittsburgh was able to bring in some solid pieces without giving up to much. Although he no longer has 35 home run power, Derrek Lee is a big improvement over Lyle Overbay and a veteran presence in the locker room.

He is hitting .246 with 12 home runs on the year. Ryan Ludwick should also help the Pirates offensively. Ludwick is only batting .238, but he has 11 home runs and 63 RBI.

San Diego Padres

Trades:

Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland from the Rangers for Mike Adams

Player to be named later from the Pirates for Ryan Ludwick

Grade: B+

Heath Bell was expected to be the biggest name moved by the San Diego Padres at this year's deadline. He stayed put which would lead many to believe that no teams were willing to meet their asking price or that the Padres believe that they will re-sign him after the year.

The reliever that did get moved by the Padres was Mike Adams. San Diego got a great return for Adams. Robbie Erlin is just 20 years old and he has already reached Double-A. Between two levels this year, Erlin is 8-4 with a 3.34 ERA.

Joe Wieland has been flying up prospect boards this year and has thrown a no-hitter. Between High-A and Double-A, he has gone 10-4 with a 1.80 ERA. He has gotten better as the season has gone on.

It is hard to really evaluate the Ryan Ludwick trade until the player to be named later is announced. Considering multiple teams were after him, it should be a decent prospect.

San Francisco Giants

Trades:

Carlos Beltran from the Mets for Zack Wheeler

Orlando Cabrera from the Indians for Thomas Neal

Grade: B+

San Francisco was able to get the best hitter on the market when they acquired Carlos Beltran. He will be a big boost to what was one of the worst offenses in baseball. Beltran .289 with 15 home runs and 16 RBI with the Mets.

The Giants were looking for an upgrade at shortstop, and they had to settle for Orlando Cabrera. He is hitting just .244 with four home runs and 38 RBI, but he is a defensive improvement.

Both Beltran and Cabrera were expensive in terms of prospects for the Giants. The team was also not able to improve at catcher.

Seattle Mariners

Trades:

Casper Wells, Charlie Furbush, Francisco Martinez and PTBNL from Tigers for David Pauley and Doug Fister

Chih-Hsien Chian from the Red Sox and Trayvon Robinson from the Mariners for Erik Bedard and Josh Fields

Grade: A-

The Seattle Mariners were able to get a pretty decent return for David Pauley and Doug Fister. Casper Wells is a player who has demonstrated power in the minors, but it has yet to translate to the majors. He has hit .247 with four home runs this season in the majors.

Charlie Furbush used his deceptive pitches to generate a lot of strikeouts in the minors. He was outstanding at Triple-A this year and has been pitching out of the Tigers bullpen. Francisco Martinez is a talented young third baseman.

His bat is there, but he struggles defensively. He has hit .282 with seven home runs as a 20-year old in Double-A.

Seattle got an outstanding return for Erik Bedard and Josh Fields. Chih-Hsien Chian is a fast rising prospect. He has had a breakout year in the Red Sox organization and hit .338 with 18 home runs.

Trayvon Robinson was one of the Dodgers top ten prospects. He is batting .286 with 26 home runs in Triple-A, but he has already struck out 122 times.

St. Louis Cardinals

Trades:

Rafael Furcal from the Dodgers for Alex Castellanos     

Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel, Marc Rzepczynski and Corey Patterson from the Blue Jays for Colby Rasmus, Trever Miller, Brian Tallet and P.J. Walters

Grade: B-

St. Louis made a great move when they brought in Rafael Furcal. He is going to help the Cardinals out both offensively and defensively. Furcal has not played that much due to injuries this season.

The deal that sent Colby Rasmus to the Toronto Blue Jays was an interesting one. Rasumus is a very talented player. Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski will definitely add a lot to the Cardinals bullpen. Edwin Jackson strengthens the Cardinals rotation.

Corey Patterson has had some struggles this year, but he can help the Cardinals as they try to make the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Rays

Trades:

None

Grade: B+

The one big deal that the Tampa Bay Rays were rumored to make at the deadline was trading B.J. Upton. A deal never materialized, and the Rays took him off the table.

This was a good move for the Rays as Upton is still young and has a lot of potential.

Texas Rangers

Trades:

Koji Uehara from the Orioles for Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter

Mike Adams from the Padres for Robbie Erlin and Joseph Wieland

Grade: B+

Improving the bullpen was a goal of the Texas Rangers. They have absolutely done this and now have what might be the best bullpen in baseball. Doing it was not cheap as it cost the Rangers some good prospects.

Koji Uehara was having a fantastic season pitching for the Baltimore Orioles. He has a 1.72 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP in 43 appearances this year. He is an outstanding set up man.

Mike Adams is also having a great season. In 48 appearances, Adams has a 1.13 ERA and a 0.73 WHIP. Acquiring these two players has given the Rangers a big edge in the AL West.

Toronto Blue Jays

Trades:

Edwin Jackson and Mark Teahen from the White Sox for Jason Frasor and Zach Stewart 

Colby Rasmus, Trever Miller, Brian Tallet and P.J. Walters from the Cardinals for Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel, Marc Rzepczynski and Corey Patterson

Grade: A-

Getting Colby Rasmus was one of the best moves of the trade deadline. To do this, the Blue Jays also acquired Mark Teahen in their initial deal with the White Sox.

Teahen has struggled a lot this year and will be a backup for the Blue Jays.

Rasmus will be a big piece of the Blue Jays future. The outfielder hit .246 with 11 home runs for the Cardinals. Trever Miller, Briant Tallet and P.J. Walters are all players that could help out the Blue Jays bullpen.

Washington Nationals

Trades:

Erik Komatsu from the Brewers for Jerry Hairston Jr.   

Zach Walters from the Diamondbacks for Jason Marquis

Grade: B-

The Washington Nationals really wanted to acquire Denard Span at the trade deadline. They were not able to work out a trade with the Twins for Span.

Erik Komatsu is a player that could eventually become a fourth outfielder for the Washington Nationals. He has hit .294 with six home runs and 13 stolen bases. Zach Walters has been impressive ever since he was drafted in 2010.

At Single-A ball this year, Walters has hit .302 with nine home runs, 56 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He has played throughout the infield in the Diamondbacks organization.