Nate McLouth had a breakout season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, batting .276/.356/.497, with 26 homers and 94 RBIs. McLouth, who earned the Pirates’ starting center field job in spring training, made his first All-Star team while emerging as a legitimate offensive force. In 152 games, he collected 46 doubles and four triples, scored 113 runs and posted a solid .853 OPS to lead his team in every major offensive statistical category.

McLouth played all three outfield positions throughout the year, serving as the only regular outfielder on the Pirates to remain with the club through the full season. Jason Bay and Xaxier Nady, of course, were dealt to contenders in exchange for prospect packages before the trade deadline. He spent the majority of his time in center, though, and finished second among major qualifying major league outfielders with a .997 fielding percentage. In 1300.1 innings, he collected 380 putouts, sixth among center fielders in all of baseball, while making only one error and compiling five assists.

For these numbers, it seems, the coaches and managers rewarded McLouth, 27, with his first career Rawlings Gold Glove Award on Wednesday afternoon. He joined Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets and Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies as Gold Glove recipients for outfielders in the National League. Unlike Beltran, though, he did not deserve the award, and, in all honesty, should not have been seriously considered.

In John Dewan’s plus/minus defensive rankings—perhaps the most valuable metric used to evaluate defensive value—McLouth ranked as the least effective defender at center field in the majors. He finished with a -40 rating, which was the worst total among all outfielders overall as well.

Beltran, on the other hand, finished with a +24 rating. The New York star, who was recognized by Bill James in the 2008 Fielding Bible Awards, had a fine year roaming the gaps in the final year at Shea Stadium.

It gets worse for McLouth, though. According to Baseball Prospectus’ defensive data, he was 17 runs worse than the average major league center fielder. He also finished 11th in range factor and 17th in zone rating.

Essentially, McLouth has terrible range, and did not convert as many balls hit into a certain area as nearly every other player at the center field position. Which is what matters most. While he was sure handed in the plays that were hit near where he was positioned, he had a difficult time getting to balls out of his zone.

Clearly, the coaches and managers relied on three things to make their decision here: subjective opinions (what they saw with their eyes, in the brief encounters that they had against the Pirates), his offensive output (which should not play a factor in the decision process for a fielding award) and traditional (and meaningless, on their own sometimes) statistics like fielding percentage, which does not account for balls that certain players cannot get to due to poor range.

The Gold Glove award system has lost a lot of its prestige in recent years. First, there was the voters' egregious error during the Rafael Palmeiro fiasco in 1999, when the Texas Rangers slugger played in only 28 games at first base yet somehow managed to take home the prize at his position.

Then, in several instances in the past decade, many outstanding offensive players, and mediocre fielders, earned the hardware based on their offensive output and reputation. Russell Martin, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ backstop, provides a recent example, in 2007, when Yadier Molina was so far superior behind the plate that it was almost comical.

Yet again, even though there is still not perfect metric out there to evaluate defense yet, objective data has proven to be more useful than relying on subjective images and overrated traditional stats.

And, with every McLouth gaffe, winning a Gold Glove Awards become less of an honor on a player’s resume.

Full List of Gold Glove Winners:

P: Greg Maddux, Los Angeles Dodgers—Although Maddux is terrible at holding runners on, he fields his position like a seasoned infielder. Expected to retire, this marks his 18th, and likely final, Gold Glove award, which is by far a major league record. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer finished second in all of baseball, behind only Kenny Rogers of the Detroit Tigers, in John Dewan’s plus/minus system (+14).

C: Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals—Molina deserved to win the award in 2007 as well, but the voters do deserve some credit for finally getting it right this year. The 26-year-old backstop, who recently won the Bill James Fielding Bible Award and was named the best defensive catcher in the majors, was one of five first-time winners.

1B: Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres—Gonzalez had an incredible season offensively for the Padres, posting an excellent .871 OPS in spacious Petco Park. For this reason, he tends to get overlooked overall while playing in a small market. As far as this award goes, however, he is not the most deserving candidate for the first base position in the National League. Again, it seems, his fielding percentage (.996, which tied for first in the Senior Circuit, with the most chances) played a huge factor here, allowing Gonzalez to win his first Gold Glove.

But some under-the-radar guy named Albert Pujols actually should have won the award. Pujols, a three-time Fielding Bible Award winner, ranked among leaders at the position in nearly every defensive category, advanced to traditional. A sensational athlete, he posted a +20 ranking in the Dewan system, second in the game at first base behind Mark Teixeira, and the highest range factor and zone rating at the position in his league. Throw in Pujols’ 1.013 OPS and a likely M.V.P award and it truly is difficult to make a case for anyone else as the best player in baseball at this point.

2B: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds—No complaints here, as Phillips is arguably the majors’ best defensive second baseman. One could make the case for Mark Ellis or Chase Utley, but the former shortstop was the lone bright spot in the Reds’ atrocious infield defense. Like Gonzalez, McClouth and Molina, he is a first-time winner. Unless he moves back to shortstop, his original position while rising up the ladder as a prospect in the Cleveland Indians’ farm system, adding Gold to his trophy case may become an annual occurrence for him.

3B: David Wright, New York Mets—Wright gets a lot of flack in New York for his errant throws, but that unfair criticism is seriously misguided. While there were not any sensational wizards at the hot corner in the N.L. this year as most of the third base leaders in the Dewan system played in the other league, the Mets star infielder is a decent choice.

However, Pedro Feliz, Troy Glaus, Chipper Jones and Ryan Zimmerman would all be solid options here as well.

SS: Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies—Rollins is the best defensive shortstop in the game, with soft hands, excellent range and a plus throwing arm. With his presence at short, Pedro Feliz at third base and Utley at second, the Phillies have a solid defensive infield, even with Ryan Howard at first base. Bill James and co. recently rewarded the switch-hitting SS the Fielding Bible Award as well. He ranked first among N.L. shortstops in fielding percentage (.988), third in range factor (4.52) and second in zone rating (.855).

Rollins also finished first among all major league shortstops with a +23 ranking in the Dewan system. Case closed.

OF: Carlos Beltran, New York Mets—Best defensive center fielder in the game.

OF: Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates—For those who have a poor short-term memory, reread the main story above.

OF: Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies—Victorino is solid, with above-average range (.899 zone rating, second among CF behind Corey Patterson), but this decision is a bit questionable as well. Cody Ross, of the Florida Marlins, and Chris Young, the center fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks, each ranked higher in Dewan’s system. Young, in particular, seems more deserving.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com

Note: This post is from Monday. Ben Zobrist has been called up to the Rays, with Jonny Gomes getting shipped to Triple-A.

Davis Improves To 3-0 At Durham

Wade Davis improved to 3-0 in the International League on Monday, tossing six shutout innings in the Durham Bulls’ 5-0 win over the Richmond Braves. Davis, one of the top pitching prospects in the minors, struck out five while walking two, lowering his ERA with Durham to 2.25.

Davis was called up to the Bulls in the middle of July after beginning the season with the Montgomery Biscuits in the Southern League. With Montgomery, he posted a 3.85 ERA and 81-to-42 K/W ratio in 19 games started, going 9-6. Since the call-up, he is 3-0 with a 23-to-11 K/W ratio in four starts. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander, selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the third round out of the 2004 First-Year draft, has truly established himself as one of top starting pitching prospects in the game. He has a mid-90s heater, a solid hard hammer and improving command. While he struggled a bit with the Biscuits, he is the premier arm in the Rays’ system this side of David Price.

Zobrist Swinging A Hot Stick

Ben Zobrist is never going to be more than a utility player in the majors. Zobrist, though, can add some value to a club at the highest level. He has the ability to play numerous positions on the diamond and some decent on-base skills. Since filling at shortstop for the Rays when Jason Bartlett was on the disabled list, the 27-year-old has torn it up at Durham. He is batting .515 with two home runs, six RBIs and eight walks in his past 10 games going into Monday, raising his line with the club to .333/.423/.506. He has been playing all over the infield, as top prospect Reid Brignac has seen the majority of innings at shortstop, but is seeing the ball well at the plate right now.

Zobrist, who hit a few key home runs during his stint with Tampa Bay, had another big night in the Bulls’ 5-0 win over Richmond. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Alvarez Watch: Pedro Alvarez and his agent, Scott Boras, are reportedly nowhere close to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the negotiation process. Alvarez, the number two overall pick out of Vanderbilt University, is a premier bat who has the chance to make a fast rise to the majors. In fact, the opportunity is there for him to turn into the best homegrown position player to come through the system since current Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez, an International signing in the 1990s. Pittsburgh cannot miss out on this chance here.

The Pirates and team president Frank Coonelly, who was responsible for enforcing slot money regulations when he worked in the commissioner’s office, recently added a solid group of prospects in deals involving their two departed outfielders, Jason Bay and Xavier Nady.

However, even with the addition of Andy LaRoche, who has a chance to be an impact corner infield bat, the majority of the players who the club acquired do not project as stars. Brandon Moss, for example, has a few tools, but seems like he will end up as more of a fourth outfielder.

After Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh does not have many future high-impact hitting prospects in its system. McCutchen is going to be an excellent player, perhaps in the near future, but the organization needs to get Alvarez locked up. Under first-year general manager Neil Huntington, the franchise has come along way since the Matt Morris debacle and the club finally has a vision. Huntington, however, must ensure that Alvarez is a part of a seemingly bright future by coming to an agreement with the superagent, Boras. Rather than taking a compensation pick in the 2008 draft if they fail to reach an agreement, they need to do what it takes to get it done before the August 15 deadline. The Bucs have missed out on too many opportunities to add a future All-Star piece to the puzzle via the first round of the draft.

Several other first-round picks—including San Diego State left-hand Brian Matusz and Florida State catcher Buster Posey—remain unsigned as well. Matusz, the best college southpaw in the nation this past season, was selected by the Baltimore Orioles. Posey was nabbed by the San Francisco Giants fifth overall, capping off an incredible campaign in which he won the Golden Spikes award and finished with a line of .463/.566/.879, 26 homers and 93 RBIs.

The deadline is only two weeks away.

Waiver Season:

Tim Dierkes, the founder of one the invaluable resource MLB Trade Rumors, breaks down the potential waiver trade candidates in the American League. He lists Jonny Gomes and Trever Miller as potential Rays to get moved in the piece.

Gomes has received only 142 at-bats. Still, though, he has not exactly made the most of his brief chances, hitting .183/.291/.394 with eight home runs. Plus, Evan Longoria just stole the big slugger's claim to fame when he broke the single-season club rookie home run record this weekend against the Detroit Tigers. He is one of those guys who needs to see regular playing time to add any value with his bat, yet he is simply not good enough to see regular playing time. Quite the predicament.

Gomes is a tough guy to root against. He is an excellent team player, a popular fan favorite at Tropicana Field and has already had to overcome so many obstacles not only in his career, but in life.

If Rocco Baldelli actually ends up giving Tampa Bay anything at all, however, Gomes may be the odd man out.

Miller broke a record on Sunday. The only problem: it was the wrong kind of record, a frivolous one at that. He recorded the win in the Rays' extra-innings victory over the Detroit Tigers, registering his first decision in about...well...almost since his last stint in the 727. At least 121 appearances without a loss or win makes it seem that long.

Overall, the lefty specialist has not exactly been special, posting a 5.00 ERA while walking 18 in 27.0 innings pitched. He has held left-handed hitters to a .641 OPS, but he has left a bit to be desired with his performance.

The Rays' roster will change. Baldelli is anxious to return. Price, with his make-up, mid-90s heater and excellent performance (10-0, 1.97 ERA, 85-to-19 K/W ratio), is inching near his debut as well.

Dierkes' waiver predictions for Tampa Bay, then, clearly have some merit to them.

The Rays, by the way, actually lost a home game on Monday night, as Cliff Lee continued to shut down the American League.

Lee was not dominant, but effective enough, holding Tampa Bay--which has struggled against left-handers--to two runs in seven innings. After stopping the Rays' five-game winning streak, he is now 15-2 with 2.58 ERA and 127-to-22 K/W ratio.

Matt Garza was hit with the loss, allowing four runs in five innings. Garza, who is a completely different pitcher when he is efficient and works ahead in the count, has posted a 3.70 ERA and 84-t0-40 K/W ratio in 21 starts.

Tampa Bay did not give up any ground in its three-game lead in the AL East, as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees each lost as well.

The story here, though: Willy Aybar played shortstop in the loss. Yes, Willy Aybar, who had never spent an inning at short in the majors prior to Monday. Bartlett missed the game with an injury, as did Carl Crawford, whose hamstring continued to bother him.

Tampa Bay is currently first in defensive efficiency, having converted 71.2 percent of balls put into play into outs. With the addition of Bartlett in the Delmon Young deal, Akinori Iwamura's flawless transition to second base and the emergence of Longoria, the once-lowly Devil Rays have move from worst to first in team defense. Getting rid of mediocre middle infield defenders Brendan Harris, Ty Wigginton and Josh Wilson, as well as B.J. Upton's move to center field, has helped out dramatically.

Aybar falls into that shaky category, however. Longoria, who saw some time at the position earlier this summer even though he had not played there since his days a stud in JUCO ball, remained at the hot corner, but is still considered the "backup."

Luckily, Bartlett is unlikely to be put back to the disabled list. If he does make his second DL stint, though, the Rays will most likely call up Brignac or Zobrist to fill the void.

Scouting Scandal:

Add the New York Yankees to the list of teams being investigated by Major League Baseball related to the international signing scandal.

Michael Schmidt of the Times:

The Yankees are among the six to eight teams that are being looked at as part of the investigation, the person said. Many of the people investigators are looking at worked for several other major league teams, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not want to jeopardize his access to sensitive information.

M.L.B. is looking into whether Yankees prospects did not receive portions of their signing bonuses, which then went to team employees, the person said. The Yankees employees on leave are based in the Dominican Republic.

According to a person in baseball who has not been authorized to talk publicly, Major League Baseball investigators have been in the Dominican Republic for the past four months and have set up a hot line to investigate accusations.

Grant Paulsen (right)

Grant Paulsen, who has been an accredited member of the national media since he was a teenager, has already made his mark in the broadcasting industry although he has yet to graduate from college and is not old enough to legally drink in this country. Paulsen, 20, is perhaps the Jay Bruce of sports journalism, having covered the Little League World Series and Super Bowl for ABC Sports on several occasions. He has also appeared on the David Letterman show six times. A student at George Mason University in Virginia, he is currently the host of Minors and Majors, a two-hour weekly show focusing on Major League Baseball and its minor league prospects on XM Radio.

Grant recently offered his opinions about the latest news and notes around the league in an interview with Tyler Hissey for Scout.com.

TH: Grant, thanks for finding the time to answer some questions about all that is going on in the Major League Baseball season. Let’s get to it.

The Los Angeles Angels are one of the best run-prevention clubs in the game, with an excellent defense and pitching staff. The Angels also have a strong bullpen led by K-Rod, who is on pace to set the single-season saves record. The offensive situation, on the other hand, has been a cause for concern, and the addition of switch-hitting slugger Mark Teixeira will undoubtedly help add another impact bat to protect Vladimir Guerrero. Does the trade make Los Angeles the favorite to win the AL?

Grant: Adding Mark Teixeira was monumental for the Angels. They desperately needed a bat - and preferably a big one - and they got it when they traded for him. Their deep pitching staff, ranked eighth in all of baseball, gives them a chance to win each night, and they are a top-10 team defensively as well. The only area in which they needed to upgrade was at the plate, and in getting Teixeira they were able to add power to a lineup that has hit 49 fewer home-runs than teams like the Marlins and Phillies have this season.

Even if Teixeira proves to be only a late-season rental, which I think could very well be the case, I won't disagree for a moment with what the Angels decided to do. He is a career .285 hitter who can hit his club 35-homers a season and play a terrific first base. With a team like Los Angeles for the long-haul I could see Tex becoming an annual MVP candidate in the American League. They gave up Casey Kotchman, who is a nice enough major leaguer, and a decent relief pitching prospect in hard-throwing righty Stephen Marek. But they got a guy back who makes them the number-one contender for the title (if I can use a wrestling term). That's what the Angels are now. They are the top contender in the AL, and I would be surprised if they aren't in the ALCS.

TH: The Braves certainly went for it all last year, giving up a promising package of prospects—including Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz, Matt Harrison and Jarrod Saltalamacchia—to make a run. However, they finished further out of the division than they were at the time of the acquisition, even though Teixeira put up some monster numbers down the stretch. In Kotchman and Marek, GM Frank Wren got about as much as he could have at this point, certainly more than the club would have received had it waited for the compensation picks. Still, it seems, they were burned in the long run. Do you agree? Will teams use this as a lesson before making similar deals at the deadline?

Grant: I think that teams might. I've always felt like GMs should ask themselves only one question before giving up multiple prospects who could eventually help their club for just one veteran major leaguer. If he (the guy they are trading for) comes over and plays like an MVP, can we win the World Series? If the answer is yes, then I am okay with those trades. If the answer is no, then I don't like the idea. Especially if a team is just renting a guy like the Braves were with Teixeira last year, and like the Brewers are this year with CC Sabathia. I didn't like the Teixeira deal last year, and I wasn't a huge fan of the Sabathia deal. If he pitches them into the playoffs, though, I will be okay with the fact that they parted with future All-Star Matt LaPorta.

TH: On an off note, what are the odds that some Angles fans make another Teixeira tribute video on YouTube?

Grant: I feel like another video is coming soon. From the same guys who brought us Mark Teixeira I, comes a second and even more epic offering! Haha. Perhaps the release date will be set for some time in late October.

TH: As of this writing, David Price is 9-0 combined between the Single-A Vero Beach and Double-A Montgomery. Do you see Price making an impact this season? If so, do you think he will turn into this year's version of Joba Chamberlain, coming out of the bullpen, or will he crack the Tampa Bay rotation should Edwin Jackson or Andy Sonnanstine falter?

David Price (AP)

Grant: Price is a stud. The guy is going to be 23 later on this month and he could have been getting big league hitters out as of halfway through his final college season at Vanderbilt a year ago. He popped at 99 in his first outing as a pro during spring training this season, and his breaking pitches are already big-league ready. He's going to be a star front-line arm for many years to come, and I could see him and Scott Kazmir being the game's top one-two punch in baseball in a couple years.

With that all said, I think that he will be used in the bullpen down the stretch this season. That will be the best way for Tampa Bay to get his feet wet against major league hitters. He also had a minor arm injury earlier this spring, which could make the Rays want to pitch him out of the pen as a way of keeping his innings count down a little more efficiently, all while still trying to get production out of his electric arm.

If he is used out of the pen, I could see him performing a lot like Joba Chamberlain did last season. His 2007 efforts were something of a once-in-a-decade time promotion, but if anybody could duplicate that type of start to a career, I think Price is that guy. I could see Price repeating that type of dominance down the stretch. He could fortify an already much-improved bullpen and be a big lift for Tampa Bay down the stretch. Unfortunately for the Rays, though, he isn't going to help them hit any better, which is the only phase of the game that they aren't very consistent with.

TH: I recently wrote a contenders piece for the American League. Which four teams from the league do you see making it to the postseason and why?

Mark Teixeira (AP)

Grant: At this moment I have the Angels, Red Sox, and White Sox winning the West, East, and Central, respectively. I rank them in that order because that is the order of my confidence in each of those teams to capture a division crown.

The Angels, with the acquisition of Teixeira and the re-emergence of Ervin Santana as a front-line arm, are my pick to represent the AL in the World Series.

I think Boston is better today than it was a week or two ago as well, though. Jason Bay will give them everything Manny Ramirez did offensively, more defensively, and he'll do it all without creating any problems or causing any headaches for his new coaching staff. I think that Jed Lowrie is an upgrade for them at shortstop as well, and I could see him becoming Boston's Dustin Pedroia of this year in the next couple of months.

The other kind of Sox get terrific pitching and have more power bats than they know what to do with. I just don't know how much I trust some of the unproven arms in that rotation (John Danks and Gavin Floyd among them) down the stretch. Getting Ken Griffey Jr. should provide them with a nice boost, though.

My wild card pick right now is the Rays. They have a deep enough rotation to win any series they play in, they play great defense and they can manufacture enough runs - as the AL leaders in thefts - to mask their anemic team batting average.

TH: Personally, going by their poor run prevention (inexperienced pitching staff and bad infield defense), I do not see the Florida Marlins making the playoffs out of the NL East. They have a negative run differential after all, and, though the Arizona Diamondbacks made it to the playoffs after scoring fewer runs than their opponents last fall, I just do not think it is in the cards for the Fish. Do you agree? If so, who do you think will come out the East?

Grant: I agree with you on the Marlins. The peripherals just don't add up to them being a playoff participant (but don't tell the 2007 Diamondbacks that). The best thing about the Marlins is that they aren't supposed to win right now. They are loaded for the future, thanks largely to the Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis trade this offseason, and they were able to hang on to most of their top prospects at the trade deadline. I'm a Gaby Sanchez guy, but he projects more as a backend-arm than an ace, and he was the only major subtraction from their future core. I think they could keep playing on the plus side of .500, but I don’t' see them doing much more than that the rest of the way. Then again, I didn't see them competing at all this year, so what do I know?

TH: There has certainly been a lot of attention centering around the Milwaukee Brewers’ acquisition of CC Sabathia, though the Brett Favre drama has taken away some of its thunder. Sabathia has energized that clubhouse, adds a legitimate ace alongside Ben Sheets at the top of the staff and is now the best-hitting pitcher in the league with Micah Owings’ demotion to the minors. With that being said, do you think the Brewers will make the postseason for the first time since the Robin Yount era?

Grant: The Brewers are my current pick to win the National League's wild card. Sabathia is one of those guys who can go seven-innings and give his team a chance to win on a bad night. That's the mark of a true ace, and he's proven to be just that over the years. He might be baseball's best pitcher if he ever played an entire season in the NL. The big fella would just be dominant. And Ned Yost will not have to pull him out of games for a pinch hitter, because he's proven that he can wield the wood.

Milwaukee is a better team than St. Louis and Florida, and they are better than any of the clubs in the NL West. With that said, they'll be contending with either Philadelphia or New York (whoever doesn't win the East) for the wild-card spot, at least in my insignificant and probably inaccurate projection. I think they stack up well with either of those two teams. The bottom line is that they had better get to the playoffs. If they don't, then I really don't like the trade at all. If they do I wouldn't be shocked at all if they got to the World Series, considering that they would have Sheets and Sabathia to throw at teams back-to-back. But they have to get there first, and in order to do that they need to start playing better defense (they are 11th in the NL in fielding percentage).

TH: Before we end the interview, give us the names of a few prospects to look for when rosters expand in September.

Grant: Dave Price is the main guy to look out for. He could very well change the American League East landscape, not just this season but over the next several years.

In addition to him, the guy I am most excited about seeing is Andrew McCutchen in Pittsburgh. He's going to get a chance at some point in August, or maybe September, to roam the outfield at PNC Park. He's got more tools than Tim Allen and he's been making his way up through the ranks in a "Jay Bruce" kind of way since the two were drafted real close to each other out of high school back in 2005. I can't wait to see what he does in his first dose of action with the Pirates. He's an electrifying talent who can contribute in a plethora of different ways and baseball fans in the Steel City are in for a treat.

Cameron Maybin is another guy I want to get another look at. I liked what I saw from him in Detroit last season, but I didn't get enough of him. Maybin getting sent to Double-A this year was like dangling candy in front of me and telling me I couldn't have it.

Matt LaPorta and Travis Snider could both also get late-season calls in Cleveland and in Toronto, respectively. I'd be giddy to get a first-glimpse of either of those two slugging outfielders in 2008. Both project as lineup-altering boppers and each should one day find their way onto an All-Star team.

TH: Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule, Grant. Keep up the excellent work on XM Radio.

For more info on Grant and his work on XM radio, click here.

Carl Crawford should pick it up.

The New York Yankees landed a catcher, Ivan Rodriguez, at the trade deadline to fill in for the injured Jorge Posada. This gave New York another option with Jose Molina expected to see the majority of innings at the position before the deal. The Yankees also added a solid reliever and right-handed bat, acquiring Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady. Thus, many analysts have labeled the club as “winners” at the trade deadline, giving some deserved credit to longtime general manager Brian Cashman.

The Boston Red Sox lost the production of slugger Manny Ramirez, but got rid of his baggage and added a capable replacement who is better defensively, Jason Bay, who has gotten off to an excellent start with his new team.

However, the other team competing for the American League East title, the Tampa Bay Rays, remained pat at the deadline. Tampa Bay Executive VP of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman refused to give up any “elite” arms to acquire Bay, for whom the Pittsburgh Pirates turned his services into a nice package of four prospects in three-team deal that sent Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Friedman and the Rays have been labeled as “losers” accordingly, but are they really? Giving up a potential future top-15 shortstop in the league, Reid Brignac, or Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson would be inconsistent with the vision of the Rays’ ownership group for sustaining their current level of success for an extended time period.

It is truly way too early to label a team winners or losers. Just ask Omar Minaya, who was applauded for landing Bartolo Colon back in 2002 when he was the GM of the Montreal Expos. Minaya, however, parted ways with three future stars—Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore—as the Expos fell apart the rest of the way and failed to reach the playoffs.

A verdict, then, will not be out on this trade deadline season—all of the deals—for a long time. Plus, for a small-market team to maintain its success in the current economic market in the industry, it must look at its young prospects as cost-effective assets, which the Rays have done.

The Rays were losers, writes Jayson Stark. Yahoo! Sports agrees.

Instead, the club may receive a boost from former star Rocco Baldelli, who has made steady progress in his rare health condition. Baldelli finished a rehab assignment with Double-A Montgomery on Thursday night, and could return to the Rays during the current homestand. He hit .297/.409/.568 with three home runs and eight RBIs in 37 at-bats with the Biscuits.

A Baldelli decision may be coming, writes Marc Lancaster. This will give Friedman and his staff an important decision to make about the status of Gabe Gross and Jonny Gomes. Gross adds tremendous value with his defense in right field, leaving the club with a difficult choice here.

The internal candidate who is most likely to make an impact in the AL East race for the Rays, though, is former number one overall pick David Price. Price improved to 10-0 as a professional on Saturday night, striking out 10 in seven innings to lead the Biscuits to a win over the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx. The talented left-hander, the best pitching prospect in the minors, is now 6-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 48-to-12 K/W ratio in eight Southern League starts. He has a chance to make the jump to the majors without pitching in Triple-A, Friedman says.

With all of the additions made elsewhere in the division, Price truly could be the ultimate upgrade for a stretch run, perhaps more so than Nady or Rodriguez. He is that good, having shown an advanced approach to pitching, mid-90s fastball and excellent command. If there is a pitcher to make a Joba-like impact, it is him.

Jeff Niemann and Justin Ruggiano could also contribute as well.

Niemann, who was linked to Pittsburgh in the Bay talks, is 7-5 with a 3.53 ERA and 88-to-36 K/W ratio at Triple-A Durham. The former first-round pick has seen his star dim as all of the injuries have taken a tool, decreasing his once-plus velocity. He is still on the track to the majors, however. He would have benefited from a trade to Pittsburgh, where he would have jumped into the starting rotation.

Ruggiano has never been a favorite among scouts, but has posted some solid statistics during his minor league career. The 26-year-old outfielder has performed well again at Durham so far, batting .316/.374/.529 with nine homers and 42 RBIs. The status of Baldelli will determine if he ever gets a realistic shot with the parent club, which he did not get during his stint with the Rays earlier this season. He went 4-for-5 with an RBI in the Bulls’ 8-2 win over the Charlotte Knights on Saturday night.

Links:

Evan Longoria continued to build his case for AL Rookie of the Year on Saturday night, tying Gomes’ rookie single-season record with his 21st home run to lead the Rays to a 9-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Longoria, a first-round pick back in 2006, finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs to raise his line to .280/.354/.540 and increase his RBI total to 67. He is leading the club in homers, RBIs and OPS (.879).

Tampa Bay cranked out nine runs on 11 hits overall, winning its fourth straight game while continuing to shine in the friendly confines of Tropicana Field.

Carl Crawford, hot of late, continued to perform since moving out of the two spot in the batting order. Crawford, who has a seven-game hitting streak, drove in two and scored twice. The perennial stolen-base threat—whose totals are down because of his poor on-base percentage—swiped his first bag in eight game as well, and is now batting .272/.315/.401. With a .717 OPS, a low number for a player at the left field position, he has to turn it around, and appears to be doing so. With his track record, he could add an impact bat by default, having the chance to help Tampa Bay score more runs if he can get on base more frequently to take advantage of his biggest asset, speed.

Andy Sonnanstine got the run support that has eluded him for most of July to earn the win. Sonnanstine scattered seven hits, allowing two earned runs while striking out six. Although he is now 11-6 and leading the staff in wins, it was a big outing for him, with Price waiting in the wings and his 4.58 ERA leaving a bit to be desired.

Tampa Bay is now three games up on Boston—and 5.5 on New York—in the division, improving its home record to 42-16 and 65-44 overall. They set a record for most home wins (42) in a season.

James Shields has been one of the best pitchers in the majors at home this season, going 7-1 with a 2.16 ERA, .205 opponents’ batting average and 72-to-14 K/W ratio in 12 starts at Tropicana Field. Shields will look to continue that success in the finale of the three-game series with Detroit on Sunday, writes Bill Chastain.

One thing that has gone unnoticed at times is the Rays’ team defense. With B.J. Upton and Ty Wigginton logging innings at second base and Brendan Harris and Josh Wilson and others doing the same at shortstop, the Tampa Bay infield defense was terrible in 2007. The addition of Jason Bartlett at shortstop, transition of Akinori Iwamura to second base and emergence of Longoria has helped change that landscape.

This has had tremendous overall positive effects on Tampa Bay’s young pitchers, and is a major reason why the club is still in first place this late in the game. The club currently ranks first in the league in defensive efficiency—the rate at which balls put into play are converted into outs. As much as the bullpen has improved as well, it is hard to put into words the strides that this team has made in the run prevention equation.

Friedman deserves plenty of credit for pulling the trigger on the Delmon Young deal, with improving the team defense on his mind.

Manny Who?

The Red Sox also won on Friday night, pounding out 12 runs to crush the Oakland Athletics. Bay—who scored the winning run in an extra-innings affair during his Fenway debut on Friday—continued to produce, hitting a home run in the win while Jon Lester improved to 10-3.

Lester has truly turned into an excellent front-end starter in this league, having made it through seven innings in eight of his past nine starts. The 24-year-old left-hander, who threw a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals earlier this season, has posted a 3.14 ERA and 101-to-46 K/W ratio to help anchor the Boston pitching staff.

The Red Sox are moving on without Manny, writes Katie Zezima.

Kevin Youkilis also got in on the action, belting two homers and increasing his hit streak to nine games. He has had a great year—on the defensive side as well—and is currently batting .313/.380/.557 with 20 long balls and 74 RBIs. He is an integral part of the Boston offensive attack.

Yankees Also Win

New York also got in the win column, as the dream season continued for Mike Mussina, who surrendered only two runs on two hits in seven solid innings to help the Yankees shut down the hot-as-fire Los Angeles Angels and new acquisition Mark Teixeira.

Honestly, where would the Yankees be without Mussina? He has been a pleasant surprise for them, winning 14 games while posting an impressive 3.44 ERA and stellar 90-to-19 K/W. He does not leave a lot of room for error with his declining stuff, but has worked the corners magically with his excellent control and command

After getting roughed up in his last outing, a 13-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, many thought that Mussina was finally regressing back to the mean. Yet he bounced back nicely, out dueling Jered Weaver while holding the Angels scoreless after giving up two runs in the first inning.

Mussina continues to defy the passage of time, writes Brian Heyman.

Jose Molina is going to be his personal catcher, writes Anthony Rieber.

Bobby Abreu, Wilson Betemit, Jose Molina (his first of the year) and Alex Rodriguez all homered for the Yankees, who were without second baseman Robinson Cano.

Brian Bruney was called back up to the club, writes Joshua Robinson.

New York, however, will not get a boost in September from ace Chien-Ming Wang, who will miss the remainder of the regular season but could return for the playoffs.

Phil Hughes is also trying to make his way back from a broken rib, and could have an impact. Hughes is currently on a rehab assignment along with Carl Pavano, pitching for the Charleston RiverDogs in the South Atlantic League. In his second outing with Charleston on Saturday night, he earned the win in relief of Pavano, who started the game and allowed an earned run in three innings. Hughes was impressive, striking out five in 3.2 innings pitched.

Waiver Talk:

Although the trade deadline has passed, players can still move teams in the August waiver trading period. Paul DePodesta, the former Los Angeles Dodgers GM and Billy Beane protégé, provides an excellent post on this process in his blog. DePodesta, a major figure in the book Moneyball, currently works in the front office for the San Diego Padres.

Ziegler Story:

The story of Brad Ziegler is about as interesting as it gets. Click here for an excellent recap of his journey, courtesy of blogger extraordinaire Joe Posnanski of the Kansas City Star.

On Monday at 2:00, Tyler Hissey will host a live chat, similar to the trade deadline live blog on Thursday. Feel free to stop by and ask a question. Click here to access the chat.

To contact Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

David Price (AP)

David Price took another step closer to reaching Tropicana Field on Saturday night.

Price, making his eighth Double-A start, stole the show from his teammates in the Montgomery Biscuits’ lopsided win over the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.

Yet Again.

With a jump to the Tampa Bay Rays likely to happen before month's end, the former number one overall pick made perhaps his last home start for the Biscuits count, striking out 10 while scattering four hits in seven excellent innings of work. He allowed only one run, which came on a solo shot off the bat of Greg Halman in the sixth inning, throwing only 83 pitches without walking a batter.

The homer and a hit batsmen were the only blemishes of an otherwise great night for Price, who was given a big offensive cushion by his teammates and improved to a perfect 6-0 during his time in the Southern League.

The victory capped off an interesting week for the soon-to-be 23-year-old left-hander, who was recently the centerpiece of a feature story in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. The weekly magazine even brought some new information to light on the Vanderbilt product who has a mid-90s heater, excellent command and the pitching sense of a crafty major league veteran.

With all that has been written about the kid, though, this information proved to be quite a surprise.

Price, who has the chance to make millions and millions of dollars during his career, nearly quit baseball during his freshman year.

The reason for his doubts—even though he was a standout two-sport star in high school and one of the most talented prep pitchers in the nation while at Blackman High School in Tennessee—is even more of a shocker.

Of all things, he nearly gave up on pitching and a top-notch education experience to work in the fast-food industry, selling fries and shakes at a Golden Arch location near his hometown. Lucky for everyone (excluding SEC hitters) and his especially his bank account—his signing bonus and future major league earnings would make McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner jealous—Vandy's head coach, Tim Corbin, talked some sense into the then-freshman. After all, he has already been drafted back in high school, was still a rarity as a 6-foot-6 lefty who threw in the 90s and had a bright future ahead of him.

Oh, the Tampa Bay organization benefited from the decision as well. After Price got over his rough intersquad outing that prompted the potential career change and came to his senses, he turned into the best collegiate pitcher in the nation, guiding the program to its best single-season finish in program history as a junior in 2007. That was just one of many accomplishments that he compiled on his resume during his time in Nashville.

Price led the nation in strikeouts during his final hurrah in the SEC, pitched for Team USA and won about every amateur baseball award imaginable—from the Golden Spikes trophy to the SEC Pitcher of the Year—during one of the best pitching careers in the history of Division I college baseball. As a junior, in fact, he turned in arguably the most impressive single-season performance in NCAA history, going 11-1 with a 2.63 ERA while breaking his own school record with 194 strikeouts. In doing so, he became perhaps the most famous baseball-related alum to step foot on the Vandy campus as a student, surpassing ESPN baseball scribe Buster Olney and Cleveland Indians starter and fellow southpaw Jeremy Sowers.

The biggest moment of his amateur days, though, came in June of ’07, when Tampa Bay selected Price with the top pick in the First-Year draft, its easiest choice of the day. He then took home a lucrative signing bonus before the August 15 deadline, emerging as one of the top pitching prospects in the minors without throwing a pitch. With the nice bonus, he also gained enough money to support his shoe fetish, an opportunity that would have certainly eluded him if Corbin did not get through to him and he was flipping burgers instead of making minor league hitting prospects look like Little Leaguers.

Price has gone on to exceed all expectations during his first professional season in 2008. Considering all of the hype, this is no small feat.

Although a minor arm injury set him back a few weeks in spring training, he began the year with a ####, touching 99 on the gun while impressing Alex Rodriguez, his teammates and the rest of those watching him mow down the New York Yankees during a Grapefruit League game on the YES Network. Even Michael Kay took notice.

Price then spent the next several weeks at the Rays' training complex in St. Petersburg, where he had the opportunity to face A-Rod again, drawing praise from the Future Hall of Famer during an extended spring training game.

When he was healthy enough to make his long-anticipated debut, Price made the move to the Florida State League, where he set the circuit on fire with his performance for the Vero Beach Devil Rays. In six starts there, he went 4-0 with a 1.82 ERA and a 37-to-7 K/W ratio in 34.2 innings pitched.

Price made it perfectly clear with his success that he was ready for the next step, forcing the organization to promote him to Montgomery. Although the competition has improved, someone forgot to give him the memo.

The flamethrowing Price has made the transition to facing advanced hitters with ease, hardly missing a beat. Following his latest session of dominance, he is now 6-0 for the Biscuits, with his ERA sitting at 2.08. He has also posted a 48-to-12 K/W ratio, surrendering less than a hit per inning in eight effective starts.

So, if you are scoring at home, the kid is 10-0 between the two stops.

Look out, American League.

Tampa Bay Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, who did not incur the cost of any prospects for any brief rentals at the trade deadline, has a decision to make. Although he has an eye towards the future and an excellent vision for sustained success—and thus will want to handle Price accordingly—he has a chance to upgrade his pitching staff, whether in the bullpen or starting rotation, by calling up the stud prospect.

Either way, Price will be pitching in a Tampa Bay uniform soon enough.

With his performance, command and overpowering stuff, the Joba Chamberlain comparisons were inevitably bound to happen. They are now surfacing around St. Petersburg and the rest of the league in full force, getting thrown around more frequently than the ridiculous jokes about a certain rookie third baseman and an actress who shares the same last name.

Like Chamberlain did for the Yankees down the stretch in his run as an unstoppable link to closer Mariano Rivera, however, Price has a real chance to factor in the AL East race—perhaps more so than other additions in the division made before the deadline, including Xavier Nady and Ivan Rodriguez.

And, according to Friedman, a few tune-up starts at Triple-A Durham might not be necessary for Price, leaving room for a jump from Double-A straight to the majors to the delight of many Tampa Bay fans who were disappointed by the Rays' (justified) unwillingness to overpay and get ripped off by the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for nine months of Jason Bay.

Regardless of what happens in the immediate future, though, Price is going to be a very good pitcher for a very long time, with a chance to become the ace of the majors’ best starting rotation in the next decade.

The 2008 Rays are viewed by many as a great story that will likely fade. However, the winning party—with the best prospect in the game ready to make his debut and with a team-controlled pitching core consisting of Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza, James Shields, Wade Davis and several others— is just getting started at the Trop.

And the landscape in AL East division will likely never be the same again.

On Monday at 2:00, Tyler Hissey will host a live chat, similar to the trade deadline live blog on Thursday. Feel free to stop by and ask a question. Click here to access the chat.

To contact Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

The Boston Red Sox simply had to cut their ties with controversial slugger Manny Ramirez, who has become a major distraction for his team in recent weeks. While Ramirez has helped Boston to two World Series titles in four years and is among the most productive pure hitters in the game, Theo Epstein did not want to take the risk of having him dog it and take a mental vacation the rest of the way. With all of the negative talk back and forth and with the “Manny-Being-Manny” antics reaching a whole new level, it was clear that Epstein had to get rid of him somehow.

After the Florida Marlins got greedy and killed the initial possibility for it to happen, the Red Sox spent the afternoon trying to find another team to send him to while keeping the Pittsburgh Pirates in the loop. They were not going to get rid of such a key hitter without adding another impact bat, with their eye on Pirates outfielder Jason Bay.

Epstein found his match in the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are looking to win the lowly National League West. With Los Angeles on board, the three teams pulled off a last-second shocker, combining to form the third blockbuster trade in July.

Ramirez was sent to Los Angeles, which dealt prospects Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris to Pittsburgh.

The Pirates then shipped Bay to Boston, who will cover the remaining money left on Ramirez’s contract and also had to offer up Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss to the Bucs.

Interestingly enough, the deal seems to have worked for all parties involved, to a certain extent.

Pittsburgh, though, appears to be the short-term winner. They have finally put the necessary resources into player development, have a potential future All-Star outfielder, Andrew McCutchen, waiting in the wings in Triple-A, several other exciting young prospects and will add another impact bat if they can sign number two overall pick Pedro Alvarez before the August 15 deadline. Alvarez and his agent, Scott Boras, are reportedly not close to an agreement with the organization, however. They received a much better package than they were offered by the Tampa Bay Rays, who would not meet the Pirates' asking price for an “elite” pitching prospect.

Hansen has not lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he was taken in the first round after a standout career at St. John’s three years ago. While he has excellent stuff, he has major command issues and has yet to turn into an effective reliever at the major league level. He has struggled again in Boston this year, posting a 5.58 ERA and 25-to-23 K/W ratio in 30.2 innings pitched after starting the season in the minors. Still, at 24, Hansen is a nice arm to add and will benefit from playing in a smaller market.

LaRoche is an excellent third base prospect who was blocked by numerous obstacles in Los Angeles. Sure, he has not posted great numbers in his brief time at the highest level, hitting .217/.348/.316 with only three homers in 152 career at-bats. But that is too small of a sample size to justify overlooking LaRoche, who posted a .987 OPS with 18 homers before getting called up in 2007. For some reason, Ned Colletti, who has made some horrendous personnel decisions (Juan Pierre, anyone?) in the recent past, did not see him as a major player in the Dodgers’ future, and short-term, success.

One of the top infield prospects for some time, LaRoche should flourish by moving to another organization where he is fully appreciated. All he really needs is a chance, which he will finally get in Pittsburgh. Plus, he gets reunited with his brother, Adam, who is the Pirates' starting first baseman.

Morris, the Dodgers’ first-round pick back in 2006, is a solid addition and a nice long-term pitching prospect as well. He missed a year of development in ’07, undergoing Tommy John surgery after injuring his elbow during his short-season debut two years ago. The 21-year-old right-hander has been effective in a nice bounce back stint in the Midwest League so far, posting a 3.20 ERA and 72-to-31 K/W ratio in 17 starts for the Great Lakes Loons.

Moss has not received a great look in the majors with Boston's deep outfield, but has some solid tools and the ability to turn into an excellent fourth outfielder. Still only 24 himself, he has put together a nice campaign, batting .282/.346/.528 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs in 163 at-bats at Triple-A Pawtucket. He has also spent some time in the show, where he posted a .799 OPS in 78 at-bats. While he will never hit for a ton of power, he is another solid organizational player who is ready to contribute in the majors.

The Pirates not only received “quantity,” they received some “quality” as well, it seems, with a high-ceiling arm, a potential impact corner infielder and a few solid pieces to the puzzle.

On the Dodgers’ end, they had no need for LaRoche anymore after trading for Casey Blake. As good as he has the chance to become, it was simply not going to happen for him in Dodger blue. The club even put up with Blake DeWitt and his sub-.700 OPS for three months before giving him a shot. With Morris, his value was down because of the surgery.

For Ramirez, who will be motivated to produce now that the options on his contract are out of the equation, this was a price that they were willing to pay. Going for it right now, the controversial slugger will help L.A. in its attempt to unseat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the West, taking away at-bats from Andruw Jones and Pierre. This will improve the Dodgers’ offensive unit by default.

Boston needed to get rid of the Manny show, though. Things had a chance to go from bad to worse. While they had to pay a lot to essentially give him away, Bay will not be as much of downgrade offensively as some fans might think, anyway. In fact, Bay currently has an OPS in the same range as Ramirez and is a much better defender. Ramirez has the track record—after all, how many hitters have a career .999 OPS?— and can crush the ball when he is focused, but the gap between production between the two is only minimal at this point of his career, especially considering the defensive aspect.

Bay, 29, is also under control for next year, at a reasonable price. This will free up Epstein to improve his roster in other ways while receiving, similar, cost-effective production. The Canadian, a former Rookie of the Year, has been one of the most productive performers in the NL for the past five years—excluding his injury-plagued ’07 campaign in which he posted a .745 OPS. He is batting .282/.375/.519—right around his career line—with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs already, and will improve by moving into a nice place to hit for right-handed hitters, Fenway Park. Considering all of the factors, including the off-the-field issues, Boston did not lose as much as advertised.

Ramirez had to be moved, was replaced by a solid-hitting outfielder and his sideshow is now Joe Torre’s problem. Boston will certainly miss his production, but his time in the city was nearing its end, regardless, and Hansen and Moss were never going to play a major role for the club. And if the Red Sox—who did not miss a beat in the absence of David Ortiz, now back in the lineup—fail to make the playoffs with the surging New York Yankees and Rays each vying for spots, it will most likely be because of other issues, not the loss of Ramirez. Plus, they will improve in 2009, as they were not going to bring back the Future Hall of Famer, who would have had to be replaced with an expensive free agent addition. So the remaining money on his contract, which Boston will pick up, is not that big of a deal, either, given the savings that they will gain with Bay filling the need on the cheap.

It was certainly an interesting day.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

An MLB.com report that said the Tampa Bay Rays acquired All-Star outfielder Jason Bay from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor league prospects Reid Brignac and Jeff Niemann turned out to be false. With Tampa Bay fans jumping for joy on the Internet on sites like this very one right here, it appeared as if the Rays had finally landed the impact right-handed hitter who they desperately need.

A deal, however, was never reached, as Tampa Bay Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman would not back down to meet the Pirates’ asking price of a high-level pitching prospect along the lines of Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson. With all signs pointing towards Bay remaining a Pirate if a deal with the Rays did not occur, it seemed likely that Pittsburgh general manger Neal Huntington would eventually agree to a deal for two legitimate prospects in Brignac and Niemann.

According to the St. Petersburg Times, though, the Rays did not make or receive an offer about the aforementioned pair, and the Pirates were more interested in Hellickson.

Brignac profiles as an above-average major league shortstop defensively and has plus power potential. While his on-base skills leave a bit to be desired, he has the chance to turn into a quality player in the majors. The 22-year-old, who recently made his debut with Tampa Bay, was considered off limits until the report.

Niemann, a former first-round pick out of Rice University, was once one of the top pitching prospects in the minors. However, his star has dimmed as a number of injuries have delayed his progress. One of the tallest professional pitchers out there, he potentially could have joined the Pirates’ starting rotation immediately if a deal had been reached. He is still only the fifth-best pitching prospect in the Rays’ organization—though he would be ranked higher in other systems—but has the chance to make an impact for the Rays later this season.

Huntington and his staff were asking for an “elite” arm in return, with their eye on Hellickson, a 21-year-old right-hander who was dominant in the Florida State League this spring. After a long day of discussions, he did not budge from his demands. Instead, he waited for a better offer for a proven slugger like Bay, who does not become a free agent until after the 2009 season.

And, as it turns out, Huntington ended up receiving a much better package in the three-player deal with the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers at the last minute.

After deciding not to make any deadline deals and then watching Bay come into the division, Tampa Bay will now have to rely on internal reinforcements Rocco Baldelli and David Price. Baldelli, making steady progress in Double-A, is expected to join the team next week. It would be unwise to count on him to be a huge difference maker, given his past. Anything they get from him will be a bonus.

Thus, Triple-A Durham outfielder Justin Ruggiano will be in the mix as well.

Price, the top pitching prospect in the minors, will provide a huge boost to the Tampa Bay pitching staff.

The Rays almost landed Bay, but were not willing to pay the price in prospects. Friedman and the organization will surely get criticized for not budging on Davis or Hellickson or making any moves on Thursday. In reality, however, only time will tell if they made the right choice. Davis or Hellickson could turn into a star alongside Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Matt Garza and Price, making near the minimum for several years.

One thing that was clear during this draft, though, is that organizations are now valuing their prospects—assets, essentially—more than ever. When replacement-level major leaguers such as Carlos Silva are making millions in exchange for mediocre on-field results, perhaps this is the right choice.

To reach Tyler Hissey, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.

Do you think the Rays should have parted ways with Davis or Hellickson to make a deal for Bay or another player?

(Associated Press)

According to the Palm Beach Post, a tentative agreement has been reached that will end the Manny Ramirez era in Boston.

However, other sources such as Peter Gammons, have said that the deal, which also includes the Pittsburgh Pirates, could collapse at any second.

If the deal does, in fact, go through, the Florida Marlins will add a proven run producer in Ramirez. He will definitely help bolster their powerful offensive attack, which is already leading the majors in home runs but ranks 25th out of 30 teams in on-base percentage. The disgruntled slugger, whose “Manny Being Manny” antics are wearing thin in the Boston organization, remains among the most productive hitters in the majors at 36 years old.

Ramirez is currently batting .299/.398/.529 with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs, but has dogged it when running out ground balls twice in the past week. Although he makes about as much money as the entire Florida 25-man roster combined, at $20 million, the Red Sox will most likely cover the remaining $6 million left on the deal. They will also receive an unnamed prospect.

Ramirez can become a free agent after the season, as it is unlikely that his option will be picked up. Thus, if Florida does add him to its lineup, they are taking on a risk for a brief rental with their eyes on playing baseball in October.

The Marlins are currently 51-58, 1.5 games back in the weak National League East, but has a negative run differential, a shaky defense and an inexperienced pitching staff. Parting ways with a few talented, young players may come back to bite them if they do not make the playoffs.

However, the addition of such a popular player-who loves the Miami area-may help out at the ticket window and will undoubtedly improve their chances of reaching the playoffs for the first time since the franchise's second World Series title back in 2003. While the club is a few years away from really having a strong team as their top pitching prospects develop, it clearly want to win right now. Also, Ramirez will bring in two compensation picks once he bolts for free agency.

If the report is true, the Marlins will part ways with Jeremy Hermida and Ryan Tucker, each of whom will wind up in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates will also receive a prospect from Boston, who will get Jason Bay and John Grabow in return.

Hermida, the Marlins’ right fielder, is batting .257/.328/.444 with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs. He provided one of the only bright spots for the Marlins in 2007, hitting .296/.369/.501 with 18 homers and an .870 OPS in a career-high 429 at-bats during a breakout campaign to emerge as a mainstay in the middle of the lineup. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter, who also possesses a strong arm in right field, has a .798 career OPS.

Tucker, a first-round pick back in 2005, made his major league debut for the Marlins at the end of June. He struggled with the jump to the highest level, though, going 2-3 with a 8.38 ERA and 26-to-22 K/W ratio in 10 appearances, including six relatively ineffective starts, before being shipped back down to Double-A on July 24. He has excellent stuff and profiles as a nice long-term prospect, but needs to straighten out his command and control problems.

These factors were an issue for Tucker during his brief stint in the majors, where he struggled to work ahead and throw strikes while surrendering eight home runs in 34.1 innings pitched. The 21-year-old, who has