The Trade Deadline
Jul 30th, 2008 by Joshua Bakal
With the MLB non-waiver trade deadline arriving in a few days, many players will see their fantasy values soar or tumble based on their new situations, and some have already been so affected. Below is a rundown of such recently traded or potentially soon-to-be traded players, and their resulting fantasy values.
This past weekend saw a six-player deal go down between the Yankees and Pirates. While the four prospects sent to the Pirates won’t have any fantasy value this year, the Pirates shipped Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte to the Bronx, two players who have mattered this fantasy season. The move should greatly benefit Nady, who is expected to be the everyday left fielder with Johnny Damon becoming the DH, but hurt Marte, who will no longer vulture saves for Pittsburgh and will act as a lefty specialist in New York. A similar fate has befallen Jon Rauch now that he is a set up guy in Arizona, though Brandon Lyon has been struggling.
Ray Durham loses his everyday job with the Giants to back up Rickie Weeks in Milwaukee. Joe Blanton’s arrival in Philly means his cumulative stats should increase, thanks to weaker National League lineups and a better hitting team behind him, but his ratios should suffer thanks to cozy Citizen’s Bank Park replacing the spacious confines he had in Oakland. Act accordingly.
The possibility of a repeat performance of their 2007 second half in the weak NL West has made the Rockies hesitate in moving their assets. A few weeks ago, it looked as though Brian Fuentes, Willy Taveras, and Matt Holliday could be had at the right price, but the Rockies may now pick up a starter if they go for the division crown. Any pitcher coming in, like a Bronson Arroyo, Justin Duchscherer, or Josh Fogg, has his value sink because of the Coors factor. Fuentes’ value would drop if the Rockies decide to hand the closer reins back to Manny Corpas, since it’s unlikely any of his suitors would need him to take over their own closer roles.
As usual, the amount of teams looking for bullpen help has a lot of names surfacing in talks. Among the names being discussed are Huston Street, Alan Embree, George Sherrill, John Grabow, David Weathers, Jeremy Affeldt, and Chad Bradford. Huston Street and George Sherrill would stand to lose the most value, as they are currently racking up saves on under performing teams. Should any of those names end up on contenders, they’ll likely end up in middle relief roles, though Street might have the best shot at retaining his closer role. A lot would also hinge on the destinations of each of those names, as the Cardinals, Rays, Brewers, and Dodgers have all seen their incumbent closers either underperform or get hurt, which might allow a new acquisition to get save chances instead of holds. The White Sox, Mets, Phillies, Marlins, and Red Sox already have reliable closers.
The Yankees had shown interest in Jarrod Washburn, but that has fizzled, since they don’t want to give up more than the cash he’s owed. Washburn would still be a marginal fantasy starter even with a change of scenery. Also drawing little interest is Paul Byrd, who will probably stay with the Indians. Greg Maddux will only accept a trade to the Dodgers, who would give him a little more run support in another NL West pitcher’s park.
Unless Matt Holliday is made available, Jason Bay, Raul Ibanez, Randy Winn, and Adam Dunn seem to be the best remaining options for teams looking for an outfield bat. With Nady going to the Yankees, Bay may not leave Pittsburgh for a better lineup, since his price is too high. If the Mets bite on any of those names, their values should rise significantly if they leave the losing atmospheres they’re in, though Adam Dunn is the exception, considering he’s already in one of the best homerun parks now.
And, of course, there’s always Barry Bonds, for those so bold in their hunt for a bat.
- Does anyone think Barry Bonds will sign with a team this year?
