With two months of the season to go, and between 13 and 18 teams still having a real shot at the wild card race, teams were willing to go after players. Granted, they weren't the big name players that many people speculated would be traded, but some outstanding players nonetheless.
Carlos Lee was huge for the Texas Rangers, who got him from the Milwaukee Brewers. They have a better chance of winning their division outright then they do of winning the AL wild card. They are only four games out of first in the AL West, so why not go for the win?
The Yankees lead the AL in the wild card race, but they want their ninth straight AL East title. Cory Lidle and Bobby Abreu for four minor leaguers, that's a steal.
Greg Maddux will be a great fit in LA and credit Jim Hendry of the Cubs with having a lot of class; he let Maddux have some meaningful starts down the stretch and he got a Gold Glove infielder in Cesar Izturis in return.
Now for the almost trades, don't believe the hype, Everyone can be had for the right price, but not too many GMs are going to give up the moon and the stars for rental players. Soriano, Zito, Clemens, Oswalt, Tejada (just to name a few) came with hefty price tags and I'm sure their GMs were asking for ridiculous scenarios in return.
With some of the free agents, you may as well keep them and get a compensatory draft pick in return when they sign with someone else during the off-season. Plus they might help you win now without losing your future.
The trade deadline always looks to good to be true, and usually is. That being said, the grade I give this year was an A, because almost every team was helped in almost every trade. Isn't that the way it should be? Help all the teams, not just the powerful ones.
Baseball is very strong right now because everyone involved wants to see it continue to prosper and let all the teams have a chance to win.
How can teams that have so much trouble scoring runs still be in the playoff hunt? That's simple. It's pitching, my friend.
The Washington Nationals, Houston Astros and Florida Marlins all have the same problem, yet they are still in the wild-card hunt in the National League. ...
The Nationals are the worst offensive team in baseball, dead last, 30th. They've only scored 542 runs this year. Yet because of their pitching, they still have a chance with 24 games remaining because they can get people out.
The Nats have one of the best bullpens in the game — 46 saves and 63 holds, led by Chad Cordero with 43 saves and a 1.30 ERA, Hector Carrasco (61 innings pitched and 43 hits), Gary Majewski (one HR in 71 innings pitched) and Luis Ayala (14 walks in 71 innings pitched).
The latter three guys all have ERAs in the low twos.
The Houston Astros have the best pitching staff in the game while boasting the 26th-best offense in baseball.
Led by Hall of Famer Roger Clemens and his 1.57 ERA, Roy Oswalt and a healthy Andy Pettitte, these guys are great (61-46 as a rotation). Throw in a solid bullpen with Brad Lidge and his 35 saves in 38 chances, and that's why they lead the NL wild-card race. But the Florida Marlins are right on their heals.
The Marlins have the 19th-best offense in the Majors, yet they have the sixth-best pitching staff in the NL.
Dontrelle Willis is having a Cy Young year, winning his 20th game last night, along with Josh Beckett and AJ Burnett. This will be one tough rotation if they make the playoffs.
And one last note ... Marlins closer Todd Jones has been nothing less than amazing this year (35-37 in saves, a 1.15 ERA and 12 BB's in 63 innings pitched).
Are you kidding me? And he's only making $1.1 million? What a bargain!
So you see, it's not about $200 million offenses; it's about pitching and defense.
Rob Dibble was named a full-time co-host of BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW PERIOD in April 2005. The outspoken, all-star reliever is a perfect fit for the most irreverent sports show on television.
Dibble, who is best known as one of the Reds' hard throwing "Nasty Boys," along with Norm Charlton and Randy Myers, won a World Series with the Reds in 1990.
