MLB Trading Deadline Report Card: Grading the Contenders

Put your pencils down and pass your papers to the front everybody, trading time is over.

After weeks of haggling, baseball's General Managers can finally get some sleep — some well-deserved and some not.

So who among the buyers earned their keep in 2011?

Read on for analysis, projection, and...FUN!

Plus I gave each team grades, which ought to appease those with a love for learning/teacher fetish.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves had two goals during this trade deadline — acquire outfield help and maintain their unparalleled minor league pitching depth. They did both, acquiring burner Michael Bourn without sacrificing any of their top four pitching prospects. The coveted quartet of Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, Randall Delgado, and Arodys Vizcaino stays in Atlanta while the Braves take care of their most pressing need with Bourn playing center — present and future secured in one beautiful deal.

And it gets better. Bourn is under team control for a relatively low cost until 2013 and his presence relegates the struggling Nate McClouth to the bench. Bourn isn’t just an upgrade; he’s an upgrade over a particularly bad player.

According to BaseballRefence.com’s WAR tool, Bourn has been the NL’s third most-valuable centerfielder (behind Matt Kemp and Andrew McCutcheon) and at 28 years old Atlanta figures to have him through his peak years. The Braves weren’t the most active team at the trade deadline, but they made their big move count.

Grade: A +

Philadelphia Phillies

Like their division rivals in Atlanta, the Phillies improved their chances this year with an aggressive trade that addresses a big need. Unlike Atlanta, however, the Phillies paid a steep cost to get that missing piece. By acquiring Hunter Pence from the Astros the Phillies get a decided upgrade in right field along with Pence’s manageable contract over the next couple of seasons. A future Philly outfield with Pence, Shane Victorino, and super-prospect Domonic Brown figures to keep the team in contention through at least 2013. Former GM and current ESPN analyst Jim Bowden calls Pence “a support player, not an impact player,” and I think that accurately summarizes Pence’s worth to an already elite club.

The real debate is over the price paid. The Phillies forfeited Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton, two players almost universally considered their top prospects. Singleton is a 19-year-old hitting whiz holding his own in the brutal Florida State League and Cosart wowed scouts at this year’s futures game with a 95+ fastball to go along with a sharp curve ball. Both players have big league potential, and one has to wonder if a supporting piece like Pence was worth a four-to-one swap.

Bottom line, the Phillies were not in a position where they had to make a move, but they made one anyway. Did they sacrifice too much in the process?

Grade: B –

St. Louis Cardinals

In 2006 the Cardinals pressed toward the playoffs, forcing the issue with a mediocre club in hopes that a place in the final eight might turn into something more. For their effort they were rewarded with the franchise’s 10^th World Series title.

Five years later St. Louis has revived that all-in approach, sensing that their middling team can win another weak division and perhaps pilfer another ring. The Red Birds picked up RHP Edwin Jackson to fortify a struggling starting rotation and added SS Rafael Furcal to an already potent line-up.

I wonder, though, if the cost was too high. The Cardinals dealt the troublesome yet talented Colby Rasmus in order to land Jackson, a move that could prove disastrous if Rasmus fulfills his potential. This trade reminds me of the deal Atlanta made last year sending Yunel Escobar to those same Blue Jays for Alex Gonzalez. In both cases the deals were driven more by personality than performance, made in deference to obstinate older managers who clearly did not want to deal with their petulant young starlets (first Bobby Cox and now Tony LaRussa).

As a result, St. Louis lost an outfielder who is one of just 13 players in the past five years to post an OPS over .850 while under age 23. The others? Miguel Cabrera, David Wright, Joe Mauer, Grady Sizemore, Robinson Cano, Hanley Ramirez, BJ Upton, Prince Fielder, Evan Longoria, Billy Butler, Justin Upton, and Pablo Sandoval.

If he continues to grow Rasmus could become one of the games premier centerfielders at a position that lacks talent, posting OPS numbers north of .900.

Or to put it another way, the Cardinals better hope 2011 pans out.

Grade: C -

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers had already hedged their bets in the 2010-11 off-season, acquiring Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and rotation stalwart Shaun Marcum in an attempt to cash in on the final year of Prince Fielder’s contract. By this summer they didn’t have much left to trade and little incentive to keep what was there, so it’s pointless to evaluate what they gave up in these moves. More pointedly, they gained a couple of contributors, Francisco Rodriguez and utility man Jerry Hairston Jr., to aid their run at the NL Central crown.

Both moves make sense for a team that needed bullpen help and infielder depth, though neither are big-time difference makers. The Brewers did what they could with the resources they had.

Grade: B

Pittsburgh Pirates

As the third team in what’s fast becoming a three-team race, I’m a bit perplexed by Pittsburgh’s posturing around the deadline. They sniffed around Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn, two players with high-end potential, before settling on two-month rental Derrek Lee and the ghost of Ryan Ludwick. After being swept by the Phillies this weekend I can’t see those acquisitions catapulting them to first.

The way I see it, Pirates management made two cost-neutral moves to appease their fan-base. The club delivered a novelty, acting like contenders because they knew fans would appreciate the gesture.

In the end the Pirates didn’t do much to improve their chances this year or in the long-term, which makes me think management is content to stand pat and make a run at the team’s first winning season in 18 years. That, above all, seems to be the goal.

Grade: C

Cincinnati Reds

I think the Reds’ organization likes the direction of their team, felt things didn’t break their way this year, and decided to ride out an aberrant 2011 in the hopes that things return to form next year. It’s a fine strategy, and I actually suggested a similar tack for the Colorado Rockies, but when evaluating the moves made this year patience rates poorly.

The Reds moved Johnny Gomes to make room for polished prospect Yonder Alonso, but other than that did little to support the big club. Unlike last year, when the organization aggressively promoted an untested Aroldis Chapman as a show of confidence in the team, it appears Cincinnati management already feels 2011 is lost.

Grade: D

San Francisco

Most pundits drooled over the Giants’ move to land Carlos Beltran from the New York Mets. I’m less sanguine. 

I thought the Giants had a great approach last year, making a slew of complimentary moves to improve their line-up and bullpen while keeping stud prospects like Madison Bumgarner and Brandon Belt. That approach lifted them to a championship, which makes this year’s reversal of course all the more puzzling.

To get Beltran, a true rental player with no supplementary draft pick value if he leaves in the off-season, the Giants surrendered their last elite prospect (Zack Wheeler). For a team with good young players that is built to win over the next 5 years, that kind of shortsightedness could really backfire.

Beltran will help this team down the stretch, but even his presence won’t make their offense anything better than average (if that). And given the nature of his contract, the Giants need to win this year to justify the move. They might, but I think the odds are stacked against them in the NL.

As for the Cabrera trade I think there’s little to say. His offensive numbers are so far down this year I’m not even sure it’s an upgrade even at a position of weakness for the Giants.

Grade: B -

Arizona Diamondbacks

I think both big moves — acquiring starter Jason Marquis and reliever Brad Ziegler — help a sneaky-good team down the stretch. Ziegler’s low salary makes him a particularly attractive addition to a team that’s stacked with good young arms (at both the big league and minor league levels). The hang-up here is first-baseman Brandon Allen, who the D-Backs sent to Oakland in the trade for Ziegler. Though Allen has struggled in limited at-bats in the majors, he’s absolutely tattooed AAA pitching this year and demonstrated big power potential at every minor league level. He’s a high OBP guy who fits the Billy Beane mold and could slide into Oakland’s starting line-up tomorrow.

Grade: B -

New York Yankees

When you’re in constant win mode, quiet is never good at the trade deadline. Surprisingly, the Yankees seem less willing to part with their substantial prospect cache this year than they have in years past. Names like Jesus Montero, Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos could have yielded a major return for the Bombers, but GM Brian Cashman resisted the temptation.

I’m not so sure that the Yankees’ inactivity represents an evolving organizational philosophy. More likely it speaks to the principles of supply demand:  The Yankees needed starting pitching, and there wasn’t much out there in the mid-level range for them to pursue. For a team of their standing, Ubaldo Jimenez wasn’t worth the gamble and the other arms simply didn’t arouse much interest.

I applaud the Yankees for their temperance in the face of unfavorable circumstance, but the holes in the rotation still need filling. The Yankees didn’t make a bad move, but they also didn’t get better.

Grade: C +

Red Sox

The Rich Harden move, though it fell through, gave us a good glimpse into Red Sox GM Theo Epstein’s motives at the deadline. He was looking for insurance policies to bolster an already stellar club, and would only make a big move if the price was perfect. Mike Aviles and Erik Bedard fit that depth-building mold, giving the Sox options if an infielder gets injured and/or Clay Bucholz can’t return. 

I still think Erik Bedard has the potential to be something more than just a stopgap, but at this point he’s at least good for support.

Grade: B

Cleveland Indians

I thought the Indians should go for broke at the deadline, and they did. The noise surrounding Ubaldo Jimenez’s decline is exaggerated, and once his batting average on balls-in-play regresses to the mean the Indians will have an affordable frontline starter this year and into the future. Even though he’s lost velocity, Ubaldo is still striking out just as many as batters as he did in years past (8.7 K/9 last year and 8.6 K/9 this year).

Add that to the complimentary Kosuke Fukudome deal and the Indians have set themselves up well in a weak division. For the next couple of seasons the Indians will have as a good a chance as anybody to exploit the two-to-three-year window before Kansas City’s crop of super prospects invades the AL Central.

I know the Indians gave up two good prospects in Alex White and Drew Pomeranz, but if Jimenez regains his form he’s easily worth the pair. The Indians also have the kind of farm system depth that makes this trade less devastating.

Grade: B +

Detroit Tigers

Like the Phillies, the Tigers have a win-now infrastructure in place. Unlike the Phillies, the Tigers could actually miss the postseason. With prime performers like Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, and Victor Martinez in place, the Tigers made a solid, if unspectacular, deal to add former Seattle starter Doug Fister. With Fister solidifying the fifth spot in the rotation the Tigers may have a rotation worthy of their impressive offense. 

I still look for them to add a pitcher like Wandy Rodriguez before the waiver deadline, especially if the Indians start to close.

Grade: B

Chicago White Sox

Placed firmly on the buy-sell bubble, the White Sox did little to betray which way they’re leaning this year. In the past they’ve generally bought hard in the face of long odds. This year, with the division squarely within reach, they shuffled their feet. 

The Edwin Jackson deal was more of a side-step than anything, trading one superfluous commodity for two more pitchers. If they’d held onto Colby Rasmus I’d give Kenny Williams a big pat on the back. But they didn’t, and now the roster looks about the same right now as it did two weeks ago. It’s hard to see them passing the Tigers or Indians with this group.

Grade: C -

Texas Rangers

With the addition of Mike Adams and Koji Uehara, a well-balanced Rangers team becomes even more potent. Both Adams and Uehara have much better statistics (traditional and peripheral) than the more recognizable Heath Bell, and they give the bullpen lockdown potential.

 Even better, both are under team control past this year and Texas kept the cream of their impressive minor league crop. These moves could keep Texas atop the AL West for many years to come.

Grade: A

Los Angeles Angels

They’re loaded with veterans and the promotion of mega-prospect Mike Trout seemed to indicate that they wanted all-in this year. And then the deadline came…and…nothing. With the wild card perpetually out of reach in the AL West, the Angels likely needed a big move to threaten the Rangers. Instead, they held their ground.

The strategy here is hard to figure. If this is their all-in, I don’t think it’s enough.

Grade: F